The Licking Valley Panthers will head out to face off against the Mt. Vernon Yellowjackets at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mt. Vernon will be up against a hot Licking Valley team: the squad just extended their winning streak to four. The Panthers never let Zanesville get on the board and left with a 12-0 win on Monday.
Tori Baughman was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Baughman was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double. That double was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on D'Neya Dennis, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-3. She also put up two doubles, which were her first of the season. Emory Whisner was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI.
Licking Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .700. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Zanesville only posted an OBP of .125.
Meanwhile, Mt. Vernon got the win against Granville on Monday by a conclusive 13-3. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Yellowjackets.
Like Licking Valley, Mt. Vernon also got a great game from a two-way player: Jocelyn Scarbury. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). Scarbury has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, firing off two home runs and four RBI while going 3-for-3. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Hailey Rudrick was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Presli Pope, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Licking Valley pushed their record up to 4-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Mt. Vernon, their record is now 8-2.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Licking Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .458. However, it's not like Mt. Vernon struggles in that department as they've averaged .489. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Licking Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Mt. Vernon in their previous meeting two weeks ago, sneaking past 4-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
