Softball Preview: Hilltop Cadets vs. Pettisville Blackbirds
Hilltop is 10-0 against Pettisville since March of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Hilltop Cadets will head out on the road to take on the Pettisville Blackbirds at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hilltop took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They put the hurt on Hicksville with a sharp 12-2 victory.
Kelsy Connolly made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out ten over six innings pitched. Connolly has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in ten consecutive pitching appearances. Connolly was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Brooklyn Kuszmaul and Eleana VanArsdalen did most of the damage at the plate: Kuszmaul scored a run while going 2-for-3, while VanArsdalen scored a run while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Sophia Crossgrove, who scored two runs.
Meanwhile, Pettisville had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They never let Gorham Fayette onto the board and left with a 23-0 win on Wednesday. That 23 run margin sets a new team best for Pettisville this season.
Like Hilltop, Pettisville also got a great game from a two-way player: Macy Hoylman. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits over five innings pitched. Hoylman was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with five runs, six RBI, and a double.
In other batting news, Kelsey Bennett was a standout: she scored four runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Olivia Miller was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
Hilltop is on a roll lately: they've won 11 of their last 13 games, which provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. As for Pettisville, they pushed their record up to 4-6 with that victory, which was their third straight at home.
Pettisville's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Hilltop hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .366. It's a different story for Pettisville, though, as they've only averaged .203. Will they be able to contain Hilltop's hitters?
Everything went Hilltop's way against Pettisville in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 as Hilltop made off with a 13-4 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hilltop since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
