Softball Game Preview: Toll Gate Titans vs. Portsmouth Patriots

The Toll Gate Titans will square off against the Portsmouth Patriots at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The last four games Toll Gate has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Toll Gate is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: East Greenwich, who was ranked 13th at the time (Toll Gate was ranked 14th). The Titans fell just short of the Avengers by a score of 7-5 on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Titans have suffered against the Avengers since April 17, 2015.

Avry Dewar made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, Portsmouth was a bit more limited in their game on Tuesday. They lost 10-1 to West Warwick. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Patriots have suffered since April 29th.

Portsmouth saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Emily Bronson, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base.

Toll Gate's defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 12-8. As for Portsmouth, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 11-11.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Toll Gate has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Portsmouth struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.

Toll Gate came out on top in a nail-biter against Portsmouth in their previous matchup last Monday, sneaking past 9-8. Do the Titans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Patriots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.