The Cannon Cougars will face off against the Pro Stock Royals Academy Royals at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Cannon easily dispatched Mallard Creek on Saturday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Cougars fell just short of Ballantyne Ridge by a score of 6-4 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Cougars have suffered since April 25, 2024.
Joey Burke was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out seven batters over 5.2 innings while giving up four earned runs off three hits.
Colin Kieley
| 04/15/25 vs Ballantyne Ridge | 2 |
| 04/12/25 vs Mallard Creek | 2 |
| 03/11/25 vs Concord Academy | 2 |
| 02/28/25 vs Charlotte S | 2 |
| 03/13/25 @ Charlotte S | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
On the hitting side, Colin Kieley made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-3. Cannon is 3-1 when Kieley posts two or more runs, but 2-8 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Mason Mierzwa, who scored a run and stole four bases while going 1-for-3.
Pro Stock Royals Academy not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since March 22nd. They put the hurt on Butler with a sharp 13-7 victory.
Logan Ashcraft looked comfortable as he pitched 3.1 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (five).
At the plate, Ty Goodson was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing four bases while going 4-for-5. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Zac Parenteau was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Pro Stock Royals Academy's win bumped their record up to 10-6. As for Cannon, they have been struggling recently as they've lost seven of their last eight contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-9 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Cannon has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pro Stock Royals Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Cannon beat Pro Stock Royals Academy 9-4 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Royals have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
