South Sevier is 1-8 against Manti since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Rams will be playing in front of their home fans against the Templars at 3:30 p.m. South Sevier is coming into the game hot, having won their last 24 games.
On Friday, South Sevier got the win against Millard by a conclusive 16-1. The result was nothing new for the Rams, who have now won 14 matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Kaitlyn Lynch was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Caitlin Nielson was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. She continues to improve, besting her previous run total in each of the last three games she's played. Tessa Woolsey was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
South Sevier hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 13 consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last game, Manti made sure to put some runs up on the board against Richfield on Monday. The Templars were the clear victors by an 18-11 margin over the Wildcats. The win was some much needed relief for the Templars as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Danie Alder made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and six unearned) runs off 11 hits. Alder was also big at the plate, going 4-for-6 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Dakoda Cheney, who went 4-for-6 with one home run, seven RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Hannah Daniels, who went 3-for-6 with four runs, one double, and one RBI.
South Sevier pushed their record up to 24-1 with the victory, which was their 12th straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Manti, their victory bumped their record up to 8-17.
Manti's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: South Sevier has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .502. It's a different story for Manti, though, as they've only averaged .358. Will they be able to contain South Sevier's hitters?
South Sevier suffered a grim 11-2 defeat to Manti in their previous meeting back in March of 2019. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
