Softball Game Preview: Paoli Rams vs. North Harrison Cougars

Paoli hasn't had much luck against North Harrison recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Rams will be playing at home against the Cougars at 5:00 p.m. Paoli will be strutting in after a win while North Harrison will be coming in after a defeat.

Paoli took a 23-run loss the last time they faced off against Mitchell, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Rams had just enough and edged out the Bluejackets 10-8. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Rams' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.

Jayda Smith made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Smith was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.

Jae Walker

Doubles (Career)

04/11/25 vs Mitchell	2
05/13/24 vs Brownstown Central	1
04/27/24 @ Scottsburg	1
04/22/24 @ Perry Central	1
04/19/24 vs Providence	1

In other batting news, Paoli let Jae Walker and Kalyn Hannon run wild. Walker scored two runs while going 2-for-4, while Hannon scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave Walker a new career-high in doubles (two). Tariana Burkhead was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.

Meanwhile, North Harrison fell victim to West Washington and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Senators. The defeat continues a trend for the Cougars in their meetings with the Senators: they've now lost five in a row.

Paoli's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for North Harrison, their loss dropped their record down to 2-2.