A feisty cat fight will be fought as Ruston Bearcats take on Ouachita Parish Lions at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Ruston has given up an average of 7.7 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Ruston is headed into Thursday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Tuesday. They lost 14-3 to Neville.
Ruston saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Aubrey Stoehr, who scored a run while going 1-for-3. Aubree Lohman also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Ouachita Parish unfortunately witnessed the end of their four-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a 15-11 hit to the loss column at the hands of West Monroe.
Journee Williams made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Malayah Vaughn, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Even though they lost, Ouachita Parish kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in five consecutive contests.
Ruston's record now sits at 8-10. As for Ouachita Parish, their record is now 13-6.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ruston hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .354. However, it's not like Ouachita Parish struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ruston was able to grind out a solid victory over Ouachita Parish when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 9-6. Does Ruston have another victory up their sleeve, or will Ouachita Parish turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
