Softball Recap: Friday's Victory Is Watervliet's Ninth in Last 11 Outings

After losing to Saugatuck the last time they met, Watervliet decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Panthers came out on top against the Trailblazers by a score of 8-4 on Friday.

Emma Kirksey

Batters Struck Out

05/23/25 @ Saugatuck	17
05/15/25 vs River Valley	6
05/12/25 vs Michigan Lutheran	7
05/06/25 vs Coloma	6

Emma Kirksey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up 17 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Leila Liberto-Taylor, who went 2-for-5 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Kaylee Bartee, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.

Watervliet has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 11 matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-12-1 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Saugatuck, their loss dropped their record down to 9-13.

Looking ahead, Watervliet will face off against Schoolcraft at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Saugatuck, they will square off against Fennville at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will roll in looking for their fifth straight win, something the Trailblazers surely won't give up without a fight.