The New Athens Yellow Jackets will square off against the Chester Yellowjackets at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. New Athens is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Tuesday just wasn't the day for New Athens' offense. They came up short against Dupo on Tuesday, falling 9-0. The Yellow Jackets' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Mallory Kohnen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and seven unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.
Meanwhile, Chester was able to grind out a solid win over Sparta on Tuesday, taking the game 6-3. The victory continues a trend for the Yellowjackets in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won three in a row.
Chester also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Lexie Mott gave up three earned runs on six hits.
On the hitting side, Elaina Lutman was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double. She has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last eight times she's played. Another player making a difference was Camryn Wolff, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Chester's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-4. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for New Athens, their loss dropped their record down to 7-4.
Wednesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. New Athens hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Chester struggles in that department as they've averaged .330. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
New Athens couldn't quite get it done against Chester in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 as they fell 8-4. Can the Yellow Jackets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
