Softball Preview: Providence Pioneers vs. Eastern Musketeers
The Providence Pioneers will face off against the Eastern Musketeers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Providence comes in on three and Eastern on four.
Providence is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Crawford County with a sharp 9-3 victory. Providence might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won seven contests by six runs or more this season.
Presley Hegedus was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Hegedus was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, Grace Denis was excellent, scoring a run and stealing three bases while going 1-for-4. Another player making a difference was Livy Theobald, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Eastern was not the first on the board on Tuesday, but they got there more often. They were the clear victor by a 9-1 margin over Clarksville.
Bracie Jackson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in six consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Addison Heath was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two runs, a triple, and two RBI. Lila Blevins was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Providence's win bumped their record up to 9-10. As for Eastern, their victory bumped their record up to 7-14.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Providence has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Eastern struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.9. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Providence came up short against Eastern when the teams last played back in May of 2023, falling 7-2. Thankfully for Providence, Maleah Blevins (who went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs, and a triple) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
