The Portsmouth Patriots will take on the Burrillville Broncos at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Portsmouth took a loss when they played away from home last Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand North Providence a 15-0 shutout. The high-scoring effort was just what the Patriots needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
Mia Ruggieri made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Ruggieri was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Lilly Morgado was a standout: she scored a run while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Barbara Rainey was another key player, scoring three runs while going 1-for-2.
Portsmouth always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .607. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as North Providence only posted an OBP of .167.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Burrillville). They were the clear victors by an 18-0 margin over Mt. Hope on Wednesday. With that victory, the Broncos brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Olivia Audette was incredible, going 4-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. Those runs marked the first that she scored this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Mariah Joyal, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and four RBI.
Portsmouth's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Burrillville, they now also have a winning record of 3-2.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Portsmouth has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .632. However, it's not like Burrillville struggles in that department as they've averaged .480. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Portsmouth took their win against Burrillville in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 19-0 score. Do the Patriots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Broncos turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
