Atchison County is 0-3 against Jackson Heights since April of 2024 but things could change on Thursday. The Tigers will square off against the Cobras at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Atchison County is headed into Thursday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 22nd straight game dating back to last season on Monday. They lost 28-15 to Horton. On the bright side, the 15- run effort marked the Tigers' highest-scoring contest to date.
McKinzee Bauerle led a balanced group of hitters, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. She also put up a triple, which was her first of the season. Mackenzie Scholz was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Jackson Heights had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 16-4 margin over the Rams. The Cobras might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven games by seven runs or more this season.
Layla Cochran made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over six innings while giving up four earned runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 3-for-5.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brynn Shupe, who fired off two home runs, four runs, and five RBI while going 5-for-5. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Taylor Bosley, who went 2-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Jackson Heights always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .575. They are 7-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Jackson Heights' win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-5. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.5 runs over those games. As for Atchison County, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-13.
Atchison County suffered a grim 23-4 defeat to Jackson Heights in their previous meeting on Saturday. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
