Baseball Preview Notes: Pioneers Look to Rebound at Walsh

Malone and Walsh will square off in a critical baseball doubleheader this Wednesday, April 20th at 1:00 pm in North Canton. After being swept by the Cavaliers last week, the Pioneers will look to avenge the two losses and improve their standings in the GLIAC South. Malone currently holds a two-game advantage over Walsh in the win column.

Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2
Records: Malone (18-15, 10-6 GLIAC) | Walsh (17-17, 8-6 GLIAC)
Rosters: Malone | Walsh
Statistics: Malone | Walsh
All Time Record: The Pioneers are 81-43 against the Cavaliers. Walsh topped Malone 6-1 and 8-4 last week

Malone Notes:

The Pioneers are coming off a 2-4 week in which they averaged 4.0 runs per game and hit .240 as a team
Despite the recent offensive struggles, Malone remains third in the conference with a team .326 average
Brenden Wells (.398, 5 HR, 30 RBI) continues to shine in the middle of the order, batting .500 (8-16) last week and raising his average to the sixth best mark in the conference
Keanan Locke (.412, 5 HR, 24 RBI) remains 3rd in the GLIAC in hitting while Matt Davis (.387, 4 HR, 24 RBI) climbed to 8th in the conference
Jon Crank (.325, 9 HR, 25 RBI) sits in 2nd in the conference in homers and 4th in RBI
Richie Mast is hitting a career-best .354 and has collected 20 RBI from his no. 2 spot in the order
The Pioneer pitching staff, which has seen its share of struggles, will look to improve on a 6.30 team ERA that includes a 5.10 mark in conference
Tyler Whitlatch (4-1, 3.86 ERA) should get the call again to start over Walsh this Wednesday...despite limiting the Cavaliers to one hit through four innings, Whitlatch took a loss last Wednesday after allowing five runs in the fifth
Malone is 7-3 on the road this season

Walsh Notes:

Walsh is 5-1 at home this season
Led by Luke Caple (.373, 5 HR 32 RBI), Andrew Stalnaker (.370, 5 HR, 19 RBI) and Tyson Lautanen (.325, 1 HR, 13 RBI), the Cavaliers are hiitting .284 as a team
Jason McPeek (.266, 9 HR, 20 RBI), Austin Szink (.262, 5 HR, 19 RBI), and Johnny Knight IV (.275, 4 HR, 17 RBI) all contribute to a lineup that ranks 2nd in the GLIAC with 29 homeruns
Pitching remains the team strength as the Cavaliers have posted the best ERA in the conference (4.51)
Matt Iosue (3-2, 3.52 ERA) and Logan Bowles (4-0, 2.93 ERA), who both earned victories over Malone last Wednesday, are likely to start against the Pioneers this week

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Players Mentioned

#20 Jon Crank: 3B; 5' 11"; Senior; S-R

#13 Matt Davis: C; 6' 4"; Senior; R-R

#27 Keanan Locke: OF; 5' 11"; Junior; R-R

#11 Richie Mast: SS; 5' 7"; Senior; R-R

#22 Brenden Wells: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; R-R

#33 Tyler Whitlatch: LHP; 6' 5"; Senior; L-L

Players Mentioned

#20 Jon Crank
: 5' 11"; Senior; S-R
: 3B

#13 Matt Davis
: 6' 4"; Senior; R-R
: C

#27 Keanan Locke
: 5' 11"; Junior; R-R
: OF

#11 Richie Mast
: 5' 7"; Senior; R-R
: SS

#22 Brenden Wells
: 5' 8"; Junior; R-R
: OF

#33 Tyler Whitlatch
: 6' 5"; Senior; L-L
: LHP