The Ryle Raiders will head out to square off against the Highlands Bluebirds at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Ryle comes in on four and Highlands on 17.
While Ryle's win against Dixie Heights wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Raiders had just enough and edged out the Colonels 9-8 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Raiders have posted against the Colonels since May 25, 2021.
The team relied heavily on Kiley Patterson, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Brooklyn Roland, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Highlands and Notre Dame Academy, and Highlands kept the tradition alive. The Bluebirds never let the Pandas get on the board and left with a 6-0 win on Thursday. The result was nothing new for the Bluebirds, who have now won 25 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Not much got past Kaitlyn Dixon, who gave up just a hit and racked up 14 Ks to keep Notre Dame Academy off the board. Dixon has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 17 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Highlands got a big performance out of Morgan Pompilio, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Kate Class, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Ryle's record is now 25-13. As for Highlands, their record now sits at 37-6.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ryle hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .367. However, it's not like Highlands struggles in that department as they've averaged .389. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ryle suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Highlands in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Raiders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
