The Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles will head out on the road to challenge the McGuffey Highlanders at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
McGuffey will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Keystone Oaks extended their winning streak to three on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles put the hurt on Steel Valley with a sharp 17-2 victory. Considering the Golden Eagles have won five matchups by more than seven runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Kennadi Smith was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April of 2025.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophie Garretson, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. She continues to improve, besting her previous run total in each of the last three games she's played. Khloe Kaplack also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Keystone Oaks hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask McGuffey). They blew past Steel Valley 17-2 on Tuesday. The Highlanders haven't had any issues with the Ironmen recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Miley Main made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). Main was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, McGuffey got a massive performance out of Julianna Ward, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Maura Janovich was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
The victory got McGuffey back to even at 2-2. As for Keystone Oaks, their record now sits at 8-2.
Keystone Oaks' speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Golden Eagles have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for McGuffey, though, as they've been averaging only 0.5 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Keystone Oaks continue to outrun the ball?
Keystone Oaks was able to grind out a solid win over McGuffey in their previous matchup last Tuesday, winning 3-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Golden Eagles since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
