Nekoosa is 2-8 against Adams-Friendship since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Papermakers will host the Green Devils at 5:00 p.m. Nekoosa is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.7 runs per game this season.
Nekoosa is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 21 runs on Monday, they were much more limited against Wisconsin Dells on Tuesday. They came up short against the Chiefs, falling 12-2.
Nekoosa saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Montana Rowe, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Adams-Friendship waltzed into their game on Tuesday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They walked away with an 11-6 victory over the Pioneers.
Riley Weaver made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kena Kirsenlohr, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in March. Gwen Gransee was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Adams-Friendship kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive matches.
Adams-Friendship's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-7. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for Nekoosa, their loss dropped their record down to 10-8.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Nekoosa has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Adams-Friendship struggles in that department as they've averaged .472. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Nekoosa suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Adams-Friendship when the teams last played on Saturday. Can the Papermakers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
