Softball Preview: Waynedale Golden Bears vs. Rittman Indians
The Waynedale Golden Bears will be playing in front of their home fans against the Rittman Indians at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Waynedale finally turned things around against Tuscarawas Central Catholic on Thursday. Waynedale blew past Tuscarawas Central Catholic 14-3. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Waynedale has managed all season.
Brooke Compston made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. Compston was also big at the plate, going 3-for-3 with four RBI and two doubles.
In other batting news, Brayleigh Mast was incredible, going 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. Nevaeh Persinger was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Rittman put the finishing touches on their fifth blowout victory of the season on Thursday. They came out on top against Orrville by a score of 10-0 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). The high-scoring effort was just what Rittman needed considering they were shutout in their previous matchup.
Like Waynedale, Rittman also got a great game from a two-way player: Lillian Halliwell. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. Halliwell was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-3 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Allison Hollabaugh and Olivia Csirmaz did most of the damage at the plate: Hollabaugh scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-3, while Csirmaz scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Alexis LaBo, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Waynedale's win bumped their record up to 4-9. As for Rittman, their victory bumped their record up to 6-10.
Friday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Waynedale hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .380. However, it's not like Rittman struggles in that department as they've averaged .374. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Waynedale skirted past Rittman 10-8 when the teams last played last Tuesday. Does Waynedale have another victory up their sleeve, or will Rittman turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
