Softball Preview: Sterling Tigers vs. Eaton Reds
Sterling is 2-8 against Eaton since September of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Sterling Tigers will be staying on the road to face off against the Eaton Reds at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Sterling is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Timnath with a sharp 18-2 victory on Saturday. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by ten runs or more this season.
Tatym Dempcy made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Dempcy was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Sterling got a massive performance out of Kenah Meraz, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs. The last time Meraz's batting average was this high was back in September of 2023. Another player making a difference was Haylee Lambert, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Sterling was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .588. That's a new trend for them: their average batting average was 0% earlier this season, but in their last five games they've averaged 34.4%.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Eaton ultimately got the result they hoped for on Saturday. They skirted past Elizabeth 8-7.
Like Sterling, Eaton also got a great game from a two-way player: Johanna Galvan. On the mound, she tossed nine innings while giving up three earned (and four unearned) runs off nine hits. Galvan has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Kiauna Smith was excellent, scoring two runs while going 3-for-5. Isabella Ramsey was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 3-for-5.
The win got Sterling back to even at 5-5-2. As for Eaton, their victory was their 15th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-1.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both team's pitchers. Sterling hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of 0. However, it's not like Eaton struggles in that department as they've averaged 0. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sterling might still be hurting after the 17-1 defeat they got from Eaton in their previous meeting back in October of 2023. Can Sterling avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
