Softball Preview: Jay County Patriots vs. Heritage Patriots
Jay County is 1-7 against Heritage since May of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Jay County Patriots will be staying on the road to face off against the Heritage Patriots at 6:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Jay County's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victor by a 19-0 margin over New Castle. That 19 run margin sets a new team best for Jay County this season.
Carley Trinidad made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits over five innings pitched. Trinidad was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with four RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Jay County let Hallie Schwieterman and Morgan Missicano loose on the outfield. Schwieterman scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances, while Missicano scored three runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4. Schwieterman is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last five games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaelynn Lykins, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Meanwhile, Heritage waltzed into their match on Wednesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Tigers 10-0.
Like Jay County, Heritage also got a great game from a two-way player: Danica Fuller. She didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Fuller was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Grace Guenthner was incredible, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Lucy Buuck, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Jay County pushed their record up to 9-4 with that win, which was their third straight on the road. As for Heritage, the victory got them back to even at 7-7.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both team's pitchers. Jay County hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .424. However, it's not like Heritage struggles in that department as they've averaged .321. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jay County suffered a grim 7-1 defeat to Heritage in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can Jay County avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
