The Russell Red Devils will venture away from home to face off against the Rowan County Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Russell has given up an average of 9.1 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Raceland hit Russell with a seven-run first inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Red Devils fell 11-6 to the Rams. The Red Devils haven't had much luck with the Rams recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Ava Howard was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one double. Paige Hutchinson was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Rowan County). Their pitcher stepped up to hand Menifee County a 22-0 shutout on Tuesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last nine times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Kassi Perkins made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Perkins was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those two runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Malana Hamm was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those five stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kelbie Ford, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base.
Rowan County always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .828. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Rowan County pushed their record up to 20-5 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Russell, their loss dropped their record down to 7-14.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Russell hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .312. However, it's not like Rowan County struggles in that department as they've averaged .346. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Russell suffered a grim 21-5 defeat to Rowan County in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Can the Red Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
