Softball Preview: Chalker Wildcats vs. Pymatuning Valley Lakers
Chalker is 1-6 against Pymatuning Valley since May of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Chalker Wildcats will be staying on the road to face off against the Pymatuning Valley Lakers at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Chalker gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victor by a 9-2 margin over Harding.
Kelsey Kren made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. Kren has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive pitching appearances. Kren was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, Gabby Nieves was a standout: she scored three runs while going 2-for-3. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more doubles the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Jaclyn Blake, who scored a run while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Pymatuning Valley waltzed into their contest on Thursday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Red Raiders a 15-0 shutout. Give Pymatuning Valley's pitching crew some credit: that's the team's third straight shutout.
Like Chalker, Pymatuning Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Saige Payne. She struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Payne was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Pymatuning Valley let Nataleigh Haines and Allison Clark loose on the outfield. Haines scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Clark scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. McKenna Jordan was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Chalker's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-2. As for Pymatuning Valley, their record now sits at 16-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Chalker has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pymatuning Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.8. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
