The Maplewood Rockets will square off against the Columbiana Clippers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Maplewood had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 17-run drubbing they dealt Aquinas on Wednesday. The Rockets were the clear victors by a 19-2 margin over the Knights. The Rockets' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Emily Perline and Addison Marker were major factors while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Perline struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Marker tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. At bat, Perline went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, while Marker went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Those two RBI gave Perline a new career-high.
Lauran Krieg
| 05/14/25 vs Aquinas | 4 |
| 04/14/25 @ St. John | 3 |
| 04/09/25 vs Harding | 3 |
| 04/24/24 vs Lordstown | 2 |
| 05/06/25 @ Harding | 1 |
In other batting news, Lauran Krieg was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and four RBI. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Claire Urchek, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs and two RBI.
Maplewood always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .657. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Aquinas only posted an OBP of .250.
Meanwhile, Columbiana got the win against Southeast on Thursday by a conclusive 14-5.
Like Maplewood, Columbiana also got a great game from a pair of two-way players: Addison Brode. Throwing, Brode tossed five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Meanwhile, Caitlynn Pleska tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. At the plate, Brode went 2-for-3 with four RBI, while Pleska got on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Columbiana let Kyla Hogan and Maryn Hepler run wild. Hogan went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, while Hepler went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Ella Dota was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs.
Columbiana pushed their record up to 20-6 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.8 runs over those games. As for Maplewood, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-4 record this season.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Maplewood has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Columbiana struggles in that department as they've averaged .520. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
