The Columbia Raiders will take on the Andrews Osborne Academy Phoenix in a tournament on Wednesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Columbia lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Firelands, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Tuesday's game. The Raiders never let the Falcons get on the board and left with a 17-0 victory on Tuesday. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 contests by ten runs or more this season.
Sadie Schulke made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out six over seven innings pitched. Schulke was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Grace Anderson was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and one triple. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Natalie Miller, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.
Columbia kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. They are a perfect 12-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Andrews Osborne Academy waltzed into their matchup on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They were the clear victors by a 21-4 margin over the Knights. That looming 21-4 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Phoenix yet this season.
Izzy Schuller and Iris Parker were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Schuller pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Parker pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Schuller has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. At bat, Schuller got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Parker went 1-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. That double was Parker's first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Anastasia Belkin, who went 3-for-4 with four runs and three RBI. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 2.1 runs per game. Marley Novak was another key player, going 2-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple.
Andrews Osborne Academy pushed their record up to 5-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.2 runs over those games. As for Columbia, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 14-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Columbia has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Andrews Osborne Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
