vs
| 04/01/24 - Away | 8-1 W |
| 03/04/24 - Home | 3-0 W |
| 04/04/23 - Home | 17-7 W |
| 03/06/23 - Away | 16-0 W |
| 03/02/21 - Home | 5-4 W |
| + 3 more games |
Boyd is 7-1 against Ponder since February of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Boyd Yellowjackets will be playing at home against the Ponder Lions at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Ponder will be up against a hot Boyd squad: the team just extended their winning streak to six. Boyd's pitchers stepped up to hand Callisburg a 15-0 shutout on Saturday. The Yellowjackets' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Abby Atkinson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). What's more, she gave up only one walk, the fewest she's had over her last seven matches. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Stephanie Salas was incredible, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3. What's more, she posted two doubles, the most she's had since back in February. Another player making a difference was Lilly Lambert, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two runs.
Boyd hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Callisburg struck out eight times.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Ponder, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They put the hurt on Pilot Point with a sharp 16-1 win on Tuesday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Lions needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
Like Boyd, Ponder also got a great game from a two-way player: Vada Cochrum. She struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Cochrum has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Ponder got a massive performance out of Grayson Wells, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Tessa Taft was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Boyd pushed their record up to 16-3-2 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Ponder, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-2 record this season.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Boyd hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .360. However, it's not like Ponder struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Boyd took their win against Ponder when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 8-1. Will Boyd repeat their success, or does Ponder have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
