The White Hall Bulldogs will take on the Monticello Billies at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (White Hall 3.1, Monticello 3.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
While White Hall's victory against Arkansas wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Bulldogs never let the Razorbacks get on the board and left with a 2-0 win on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bulldogs have posted since March 21st.
Not much got past Kenley Daniel, who gave up just three hits and racked up six Ks to keep Arkansas off the board. Daniel has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Allie Rushing, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two doubles. Another player making a difference was Emma Ratliff, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
White Hall hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in ten consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Monticello came tearing into Tuesday's contest with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Eagles. The Billies might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten games by seven runs or more this season.
Alaina Lyle made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.1 strikeouts per game. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run.
In other batting news, Addi Frazer was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Libby Kingston was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Monticello's win was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-7. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for White Hall, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 20-9-1 record this season.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. White Hall has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .431. However, it's not like Monticello struggles in that department as they've averaged .506. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
