Softball Game Preview: Jefferson Wildcats vs. Antwerp Archers

Jefferson is 0-3 against Antwerp since April of 2019 but things could change on Tuesday. The Wildcats will welcome the Archers at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Jefferson's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 22-0 margin over Ottoville. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Big Green: they've now won three in a row.

Meanwhile, Antwerp entered their tilt with Holgate on Friday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 10-0 victory. While the Archers didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-9), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.

Elle Clem made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in RBI (three).

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Raelynne Zuber, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 3-for-3. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Alia Clem was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.

Antwerp was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .385. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Holgate only posted a batting average of .167.

Jefferson pushed their record up to 6-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 21.3 runs over those games. As for Antwerp, their win bumped their record up to 5-2.

Jefferson suffered a grim 11-0 defeat to Antwerp when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.