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| 04/05/22 - Home | 13-9 W |
| 04/05/22 - Home | 16-6 W |
| 04/06/21 - Home | 15-0 W |
| 04/06/21 - Home | 18-3 W |
Preston is a perfect 4-0 against Shelley since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Indians will look to defend their home field against the Russets at 3:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Preston barely beat Snake River the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Indians put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 19-4 victory on Tuesday. The Indians might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by ten runs or more this season.
Preston let Samantha Owens and Rachel Gilbert run wild. Owens scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Gilbert scored two runs while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Ally Smith, who scored two runs while going 1-for-1.
Preston was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .652. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Shelley hadn't done well against Hillcrest recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Russets came out on top against the Knights by a score of 12-7.
The team relied heavily on Carlie Hurd, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Audrey Wattenbarger, who scored a run while going 2-for-5.
Shelley pushed their record up to 8-3 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Preston, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 5-3.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Preston has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .554. However, it's not like Shelley struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Preston beat Shelley 13-9 in their previous matchup back in April of 2022. Do the Indians have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Russets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
