Softball Preview: Montgomery Red Raiders vs. Sullivan County Griffins
Montgomery is 8-2 against Sullivan County since May of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Montgomery Red Raiders will head out on the road to face off against the Sullivan County Griffins at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Montgomery is headed into the game fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victor by a 20-5 margin over Columbia Montour Vo-Tech on Monday. The high-scoring effort was just what Montgomery needed considering they were shutout in their previous match.
Montgomery got a massive performance out of Summer Drick, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Addi Muhl was another key contributor, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Sullivan County, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road on Saturday. Everything went their way against Neumann Regional Academy on Monday as Sullivan County made off with an 11-1 win. The high-scoring effort was just what Sullivan County needed considering they were shutout in their previous contest.
Emilia Viveiros was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits (and only one walk). Viveiros has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. Viveiros was also big at the plate, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with a double and an RBI.
In other batting news, Karlee Wettlaufer was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Mariah Halabuk, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 1-for-2.
Montgomery's victory bumped their record up to 5-3. As for Sullivan County, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Montgomery has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Sullivan County struggles in that department as they've averaged .508. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Montgomery was able to grind out a solid win over Sullivan County in their previous meeting last Friday, winning 13-8. The rematch might be a little tougher for Montgomery since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
