Atholton is 0-9-1 against Howard since May of 2017 but things could change on Friday. The Raiders will welcome the Lions at 3:30 p.m. Atholton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
Things were looking good for Atholton after they put the first run on the board on Wednesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of Marriotts Ridge by a score of 6-5.
Reagan Law was huge no matter where she played even without the win. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over 6.1 innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Law was even better at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Tatiana Maltez-Rosales made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Madeline Skaggs was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Howard made easy work of Reservoir on Thursday and carried off a 13-3 win. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by eight runs or more this season.
Like Atholton, Howard also got a great game from a two-way player: Kiersten Black. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. Black has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Hadley Coleman was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and two runs. Another player making a difference was Meleah Hannie, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
Howard was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .409. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .318 or higher in four consecutive matches.
Howard's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-6-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Atholton, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-9-1.
Both Atholton and Howard just can't seem to miss. The Raiders have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Howard struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
