Holgate hasn't had much luck against Hilltop recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Tigers will head out to take on the Cadets at 5:00 p.m.
Holgate is headed into Tuesday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their eighth straight game dating back to last season on Monday. They fell 5-2 to Continental.
Graysen Jones spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five runs (all of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Holgate saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mia Kelly, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Meanwhile, Hilltop made easy work of Tinora on Monday and carried off a 17-6 win. The Cadets might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 contests by seven runs or more this season.
Giada Rising made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). Rising was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Hilltop let Kelsy Connolly and Isabella Ackley run wild. Connolly got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double, while Ackley went 2-for-3 with five RBI and one double. Those five RBI gave Ackley a new career-high. Libbie Baker also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Hilltop always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .575. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Tinora only posted an OBP of .333.
Hilltop pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their tenth straight on the road dating back to last season. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Holgate, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-6.
Holgate might still be hurting after the 23-0 loss they got from Hilltop when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
