The Melba Mustangs will square off against the Parma Panthers at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday. Melba has given up an average of 10.8 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Parma will be up against a hot Melba team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. The Mustangs walked away with a 17-14 victory over Grangeville on Saturday.
Melba let Kodi Adams and Analyse Durham run wild. Adams went 2-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI, while Durham went 4-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits Durham has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Olivia Atack, who went 2-for-5 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Melba hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Grangeville struck out nine times.
Meanwhile, Parma faced Nampa Christian in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Panthers took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Trojans. The Panthers' defeat signaled the end of their 15-game winning streak.
Wesli Crockett spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and seven unearned) runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Lakota Leppert was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kinlea Cole, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
Parma's loss was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 11-1 and their overall record down to 22-3. As for Melba, their record now sits at 10-13.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Melba has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.8 hits per game. However, it's not like Parma struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Melba suffered a grim 17-7 defeat to Parma when the teams last played last Tuesday. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
