The Westlake Demons will face off against the Buckeye Bucks at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Monday, Westlake got the win against Valley Forge by a conclusive 17-2. The Demons haven't had any issues with the Patriots recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Cydney Loucka was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits. Loucka was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with four RBI and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
In other batting news, Riley Knapp was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Katherine England was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Meanwhile, Buckeye made easy work of Rocky River on Monday and carried off an 11-1 win.
LaRyssa Hartshorn looked comfortable as she tossed 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Buckeye got a massive performance out of Faith Shaw, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three stolen bases and three runs. Those three stolen bases gave Shaw a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sarah Michaels, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Buckeye always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .533. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Rocky River only posted an OBP of .286.
Buckeye pushed their record up to 14-3-2 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.7 runs over those games. As for Westlake, their victory bumped their record up to 4-5.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Westlake has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .488. However, it's not like Buckeye struggles in that department as they've averaged .504. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Westlake might still be hurting after the 17-7 loss they got from Buckeye in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will the Demons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
