The Providence School Stallions will take on the Episcopal School of Jacksonville Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Providence School is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over Andrew Jackson. The Stallions' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
The team relied heavily on Elle Burns, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Summer Stearns was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Providence School kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 3-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Episcopal School of Jacksonville got the win against Bolles on Tuesday by a conclusive 11-5. Considering the Eagles have won eight matches by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Riley Valent made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Chelsea Dever was a standout: she went 1-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Amelia Oreair, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Episcopal School of Jacksonville pushed their record up to 20-5 with the victory, which was their ninth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Providence School, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-13 record this season.
Providence School couldn't quite get it done against Episcopal School of Jacksonville in their previous meeting back in February as they fell 16-12. Can the Stallions avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
