The Rensselaer Central Bombers will face off against the Pioneer Panthers at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Thursday, Rensselaer Central earned a 6-2 win over North Judson-San Pierre. That's two games straight that the Bombers have won by exactly four runs.
Kali Northcutt spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up 12 Ks.
On the hitting side, Kylie Spencer and Stacia Crabtree did most of the damage at the plate: Spencer went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI, while Crabtree went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two doubles, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Brynn Hannon, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Pioneer came tearing into Friday's game with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.2 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Bison as they made off with a 15-2 victory. Considering the Panthers have won seven contests by more than ten runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Lois Layer made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 5-for-5 with three stolen bases, four runs, and three doubles. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Averi Layer, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Addison Kennell, who went 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Pioneer was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .459. They are 9-2 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Rensselaer Central has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Pioneer, their record now sits at 11-7.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rensselaer Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Pioneer struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rensselaer Central suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Pioneer in their previous meeting back in May of 2022. Can the Bombers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
