Softball Preview: West Jefferson Roughriders vs. Fairbanks Panthers
West Jefferson is 8-2 against Fairbanks since April of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The West Jefferson Roughriders will be playing at home against the Fairbanks Panthers at 5:00 p.m. West Jefferson is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last four games.
Last Friday, West Jefferson got the win against Greeneview by a conclusive 13-3.
Jenna Mannon was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. Mannon has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Mannon was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two stolen bases, and four RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Zoey Brown, who went 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Kassie Simmons, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Fairbanks unfortunately witnessed the end of their seven-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell just short of Mechanicsburg by a score of 11-9. The loss put an end to Fairbanks' undefeated start to the season.
Tiffini Harper and Maddi Sines did some serious damage despite the final result: Harper scored a run while going 1-for-2, while Sines scored two runs while going 4-for-4. Hailey Dee was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-5.
West Jefferson's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-6. As for Fairbanks, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 10-1-1.
Both both teams just can't seem to miss. West Jefferson has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Fairbanks struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
West Jefferson beat Fairbanks 5-0 when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Does West Jefferson have another victory up their sleeve, or will Fairbanks turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
