The Columbia Raiders will square off against the Springfield Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Columbia had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Firelands on Thursday. The Raiders were the clear victors by a 12-3 margin over the Falcons. The win continues a trend for the Raiders in their matchups with the Falcons: they've now won three in a row.
Alina Jones spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up 13 Ks.
At the plate, Columbia got a massive performance out of Grace Anderson, who went 3-for-5 with one home run and five RBI. That's the most RBI Anderson has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Kenzie Shackelton, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Springfield got the win against Waterloo on Wednesday by a conclusive 11-4.
Springfield also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Sophia Greathouse gave up three earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up eight Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Gina Romeo, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Giuliana Battaglini, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with one home run and three RBI.
Springfield kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 8-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Springfield's victory bumped their record up to 12-9. As for Columbia, their win bumped their record up to 13-6.
