The Epping Blue Devils are taking a road trip to face off against the Pittsfield Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Epping 2.2, Pittsfield 0.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Epping fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Newmarket on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Mules by a score of 5-4. The contest marked the Blue Devils' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Meanwhile, Pittsfield put another one in the bag on Wednesday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Wilton-Lyndeborough with a sharp 22-0 win. The match marked the Panthers' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Alex Penney was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 14 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Nika Pereira was a standout: she got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Chelsee Chagnon, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base.
Pittsfield hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive contests.
Pittsfield pushed their record up to 5-0 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Epping, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 4-1.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Epping hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .386. However, it's not like Pittsfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Epping came up short against Pittsfield in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 4-0. Can the Blue Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
