South Lyon East is 0-5 against Allen Park since April of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Cougars will look to defend their home field against the Jaguars at 4:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (South Lyon East 3.4, Allen Park 3.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.
17 must be South Lyon East's lucky number: they beat Kettering with that score not once but twice on Wednesday. The Cougars didn't even let the Captains on the board, marking the Cougars' second-straight 17-0 shutout. The victory continues a trend for the Cougars in their matchups with the Captains: they've now won four in a row.
Chloe McPherson (2027) made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. McPherson (2027) was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Avery McPherson (2027) was a standout: she scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Katie Jankowski (2026), who scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Allen Park faced Woodhaven in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Jaguars took a 6-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Warriors. The match marked the Jaguars' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Mallory Hool was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple and one double. Mak Sitarski was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
South Lyon East's win bumped their record up to 3-4. As for Allen Park, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 8-1.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. South Lyon East hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .405. However, it's not like Allen Park struggles in that department as they've averaged .395. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
South Lyon East might still be hurting after the 18-3 defeat they got from Allen Park when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Will the Cougars 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.
