The Chiles Timberwolves will take on the Walton Braves at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Walton will be up against a hot Chiles squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Everything went Chiles' way against Freeport on Friday as Chiles made off with a 16-1 victory. While the Timberwolves didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-14), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Anna Kate Barber made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
In other pitching news, Avery Jones looked comfortable as she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Mia Hemenway, who fired off two home runs, seven RBI, and three runs while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Adelyn Matthews, who scored three runs and stole Three bases. while going 3-for-4.
Chiles kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in 13 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Walton never got on the board in their matchup on Friday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Second Baptist on Friday. They put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 11-1 win. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Braves as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Raina Pitts was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Pitts was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Walton let Chloe Bendure and Bailey Crowther run wild. Bendure went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one double, while Crowther went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most RBI Crowther has posted since back in April of 2024. Mackenzie Peels was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Walton's win bumped their record up to 3-6. As for Chiles, their victory bumped their record up to 7-1.
Walton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Chiles has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .546. It's a different story for Walton, though, as they've only averaged .302. Will they be able to contain Chiles' hitters?
Chiles skirted past Walton 6-4 when the teams last played back in March of 2018. Does Chiles have another victory up their sleeve, or will Walton turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
