Vernon hasn't had much luck against Port St. Joe recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Yellowjackets will host the Tiger Sharks at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Vernon managed to slip by Wewahitchka the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Yellowjackets came up short against the Gators on Thursday, falling 18-11. The Yellowjackets have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Elena Dean was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Lila Owens was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Port St. Joe). They were the clear victors by a 27-3 margin over FAMU DRS on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Tiger Sharks, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Christina Clayton made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. Clayton was even better at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs. Those three runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Port St. Joe got a massive performance out of Hallie Mize, who went 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and one stolen base. Those two hits gave Mize a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Olivia Maxwell, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base.
Port St. Joe always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .846. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
The win was the fourth in a row for Port St. Joe, bringing their record up to 14-4. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Vernon, their loss dropped their record down to 5-14.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Vernon has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Port St. Joe struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Vernon might still be hurting after the 15-0 defeat they got from Port St. Joe in their previous meeting back in February. Will the Yellowjackets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
