The Pittston Patriots will square off against the Tunkhannock Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Pittston is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.2 runs per game this season.
Pittston fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Dallas on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Mountaineers by a score of 3-2. The Patriots were red-hot at the plate heading into the contest (they scored no less than ten runs in the six games prior), but the Mountaineers' pitcher proved too tough.
Samantha Herbert
| 04/18/25 vs Lake-Lehman | 2 |
| 04/22/25 @ Hazleton Area | 2 |
| 04/14/25 vs Wilkes-Barre | 3 |
| 03/22/25 @ Mid Valley | 4 |
| 04/02/25 @ Wyoming Valley West | 4 |
Samantha Herbert spent all 9.1 innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on nine hits and racked up eight Ks. Those eight strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
On the hitting side, Pittston saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Gabby Gorzkowski, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.
Meanwhile, Tunkhannock waltzed into their match on Wednesday with five straight wins... but they left with six. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Cougars a 15-0 shutout. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten games by seven runs or more this season.
The team relied heavily on Erin Van Ness, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. Taryn Newswanger was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Tunkhannock kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hazleton Area only managed three hits.
Tunkhannock's victory was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games. As for Pittston, their loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-5.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pittston has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Tunkhannock struggles in that department as they've averaged .481. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pittston suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Tunkhannock in their previous meeting back in April. Will the Patriots have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
