The Middleton Cardinals will square off against the Watertown Goslings at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Middleton comes in on nine and Watertown on three.
On Saturday, Middleton beat Cedarburg 6-2.
Cece Smith looked comfortable as she pitched four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits.
At the plate, Hailey Stroede was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. Macey Blazek was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and two doubles.
Meanwhile, Watertown owes their pitching crew a big pat on the back after their performance on Friday. They walked away with a 3-0 win over Beaver Dam.
The result came thanks to Cali Craig's shutout, as she gave up just three hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Elle Stangler, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run.
Watertown hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in three consecutive matches.
Watertown's victory was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 7.5 runs this season. As for Middleton, their record now sits at 11-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Middleton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Watertown struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
