Softball Preview: Tri Titans vs. Hagerstown Tigers
The Tri Titans will head out on the road to take on the Hagerstown Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Tri will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Monday, then bounced right back against South Decatur on Tuesday. Tri's pitcher stepped up to hand South Decatur a 13-0 shutout. That 13 run margin sets a new team best for Tri this season.
South Decatur's batters probably weren't too happy with Ashton Richey, who pitched a no hitter and racked up 12 Ks.
At the plate, Lyla Williams was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and a stolen base. Rylan Matthews was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3.
Meanwhile, Hagerstown waltzed into their matchup on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victor by a 10-4 margin over the Bulldogs. Ten seems to be a good number for Hagerstown as the squad scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Rylan Young spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Hannah Pyle was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Elly Cheesman, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, a stolen base, and two RBI.
Tri now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Hagerstown, their win bumped their record up to 8-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Tri has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hagerstown struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.2. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Tri couldn't quite finish off Hagerstown when the teams last played back in April of 2023 and fell 4-2. Can Tri avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
