Mustangs
| 04/09/25 vs Belle Vernon | 6 |
| 04/02/25 vs Oakland Catholic | 10 |
| 04/01/25 @ Ringgold | 17 |
| 03/22/25 vs Patrick Henry | 2 |
| 03/19/25 vs Jefferson County | 8 |
| + 2 more games |
Laurel Highlands hasn't had much luck against Elizabeth Forward recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Mustangs will head out on the road to face off against the Warriors at 4:15 p.m. Laurel Highlands is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
Laurel Highlands fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Belle Vernon on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Leopards by a score of 7-6.
Payton Senge was huge no matter where she played even without the win. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over nine innings while giving up four earned (and three unearned) runs off ten hits (and only one walk). Senge was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run.
In other batting news, Aubrey Speelman made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Kayla Howell was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Forward had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs) and they went ahead and made it three last Wednesday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Rams an 11-0 shutout. Considering the Warriors have won four contests by more than nine runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Laurel Highlands, Elizabeth Forward also got a great game from a two-way player: Berlyn Holibaugh. On the mound, Holibaugh tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Julia Resnik tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Holibaugh scored three runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4, while Resnik scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alivia Grimm, who went 1-for-2 with three RBI and one double. That double was her first of the season.
Laurel Highlands' defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 3-4. As for Elizabeth Forward, their record is now 4-1.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Laurel Highlands hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .359. However, it's not like Elizabeth Forward struggles in that department as they've averaged .392. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Laurel Highlands might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Elizabeth Forward when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
