Softball Preview: Chippewa Chipps vs. Dalton Bulldogs
Chippewa and Dalton are an even 4-4-2 against one another since April of 2018, but likely not for long. The Chippewa Chipps will be playing in front of their home fans against the Dalton Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Chippewa is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Chippewa lost 17-8 to Rittman on Wednesday.
Ava Panaciulli and Katie Gartrell did some serious damage despite the final result: Panaciulli scored two runs while going 5-for-6, while Gartrell scored a run while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Toura Speegle, who scored a run while going 3-for-6.
Even though they lost, Chippewa kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Dalton entered their tilt with Waynedale with six consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with seven. Everything went their way against the Golden Bears on Monday as they made off with a 7-1 victory. Dalton might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won seven matches by six runs or more this season.
Ava Fivecoat spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered one run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in seven consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Mykayla Neiger and Hannah Wenger did most of the damage at the plate: Neiger went 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, while Wenger went 3-for-4 with two runs and a triple. Savannah Wenger was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Chippewa's loss dropped their record down to 13-6. As for Dalton, their win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-6.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both team's pitchers. Chippewa hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Dalton struggles in that department as they've averaged .361. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Chippewa suffered a grim 7-0 defeat to Dalton in their previous meeting back in April. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Fivecoat, who didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Now that Chippewa knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
