Wayne hasn't had much luck against Point Pleasant recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Pioneers will welcome the Big Blacks at 5:30 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Wayne made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Ripley, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Pioneers blew past the Vikings 12-3 on Tuesday. The Pioneers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Kaliah Merritt was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Merritt was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 3-for-5. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Lexi Napier and Kylee Copley did most of the damage at the plate: Napier went 2-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Copley went 2-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI Napier has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Maddie Dillon, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Wayne kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Point Pleasant hadn't done well against Sissonville recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Big Blacks came out on top in a nail-biter against the Indians, sneaking past 7-5.
Chloe Patrick was incredible, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Mazey Thomas, who scored two runs while going 3-for-3.
Point Pleasant is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 5-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. As for Wayne, their victory bumped their record up to 3-4.
Wayne couldn't quite finish off Point Pleasant in their previous matchup back in May of 2018 and fell 3-1. Will the Pioneers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
