Softball Preview: West Warwick Wizards vs. Ponaganset Chieftains
The West Warwick Wizards will look to defend their home field on Monday against the Ponaganset Chieftains at 4:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
West Warwick is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: South Kingstown, who was ranked 20th in their home state at the time (West Warwick was ranked seventh). West Warwick blew past South Kingstown 20-2. The win made it back-to-back victories for West Warwick.
Emma Pinault made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Pinault has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive pitching appearances. Pinault was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Adrianna Carsetti, who fired off three home runs and eight RBI while going 3-for-5. Another player making a difference was Olivia Zajdek, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Ponaganset came tearing into last Wednesday's match with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.3 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victor by a 19-1 margin over the Eagles. Ponaganset's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like West Warwick, Ponaganset also got a great game from a two-way player: Chloe Barber. She didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. Barber was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maia Salvo, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with a home run, three runs, and four RBI. She continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Kyla Angell was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
West Warwick is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 7-2 record this season. As for Ponaganset, they pushed their record up to 7-1 with that victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. West Warwick has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Ponaganset struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
West Warwick couldn't quite finish off Ponaganset in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 and fell 4-2. Will West Warwick have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
