Hornell hasn't had much luck against Wellsville recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Red Raiders will take on the Lions at 5:00 p.m.
Hornell is headed into Monday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They took a 5-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Bolivar-Richburg.
Izabella Gardner was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Wellsville came tearing into Friday's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Rebels a 16-0 shutout. Considering the Lions have won nine games by more than seven runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Kennedy Perry made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Makenna Dunbar was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run and four runs. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Ayla Faulkner, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Wellsville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in four consecutive contests.
Hornell's loss dropped their record down to 3-8. As for Wellsville, their victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-2.
Hornell's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's matchup. The Red Raiders have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Wellsville, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Hornell continue to outrun the ball?
Hornell suffered a grim 18-0 defeat to Wellsville when the teams last played back in April. Can the Red Raiders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
