Softball Preview: Hattiesburg Tigers vs. Terry Bulldogs
Hattiesburg has enjoyed a five-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the Terry Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hattiesburg knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with flashy run totals in its past five matchups -- so hopefully Terry likes a good challenge.
The matchup between Hattiesburg and West Jones on Tuesday hardly resembled the 1-0 effort from their previous meeting. Hattiesburg wound up on the wrong side of a rough 22-11 walloping at the hands of West Jones. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Hattiesburg in their matchups with West Jones: they've now lost three in a row.
Hattiesburg got a big performance out of Darriyah Walls, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run. The team also got some help courtesy of Zykia Mobley, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Terry came into Thursday's match having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. Everything went their way against Raymond on Thursday as Terry made off with a 16-1 victory. Terry's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Alyssa Lake was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (she also didn't allow any walks). Lake has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. Lake was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-3 with five RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
In other batting news, Terry got a massive performance out of Makenzie Clark, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with four RBI, two runs, and a triple. Alana Cutrer was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Hattiesburg's defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 5-8. As for Terry, their win bumped their record up to 7-8.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hattiesburg has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Terry struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hattiesburg suffered a grim 14-3 defeat to Terry when the teams last played back in March. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Lake, who struck out 14 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). Now that Hattiesburg knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
