Bulldogs
| 04/23/25 @ Norwich Free Academy | 5 |
| 04/21/25 vs Fitch | 6 |
| 04/19/25 vs North Kingstown | 6 |
| 04/15/25 vs Toll Gate | 10 |
| 04/14/25 vs Barrington | 15 |
| + 4 more games |
The Westerly Bulldogs are taking a road trip to square off against the Smithfield Sentinels at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Westerly is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.4 runs per game this season.
Westerly came into this matchup off a tough six-run defeat on Monday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of Norwich Free Academy by a score of 7-5 on Wednesday. The game marked the Bulldogs' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Ella Keegan and Abi Emery did some serious damage despite the final result: Keegan went 1-for-4 with three runs and one stolen base, while Emery got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two RBI. That stolen base was Keegan's first of the season.
Meanwhile, Smithfield faced St. Mary Academy-Bay View in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Sentinels blew past the Bengals 8-1. The Sentinels haven't had any issues with the Bengals recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Crystal Cacador made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She 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 a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lily Riggin, who went 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Mia Howard, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Smithfield kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as St. Mary Academy-Bay View only managed three hits.
Westerly dropped their record down to 5-4 with the loss, which was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season. Even worse, they were so close so many times: the defeats came by an average of only two runs. As for Smithfield, their record now sits at 4-2.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Westerly hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Smithfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .367. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Westerly couldn't quite get it done against Smithfield in their previous matchup back in June of 2021 as they fell 6-3. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
