The Mercer County Golden Eagles will face off against the Princeton Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Mercer County is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
Mercer County had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Annawan-Wethersfield on Thursday. The Golden Eagles were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Titans. The Golden Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by six runs or more this season.
Elsie Cook spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits.
Natalie Thomson
| 04/03/25 vs Annawan-Wethersfield | 4 |
| 04/06/24 @ Princeville | 2 |
| 03/16/24 vs Midland | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Bureau Valley | 1 |
| 05/06/24 @ ROWVA/Williamsfield | 1 |
At the plate, Natalie Thomson was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing four bases while going 2-for-3. Those four stolen bases gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Alivia Gillespie, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
Meanwhile, Princeton didn't have quite enough to beat Marquette on Monday and fell 12-10. The Tigers haven't had much luck with the Crusaders recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Izzy Gibson was cooking despite her team's loss, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 4-for-4. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Sam Woolley was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Mercer County's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-0. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Princeton, they now have a losing record of 2-3.
Princeton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Mercer County has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Princeton, though, as they've been averaging 12.8 hits. Given Mercer County's sizable advantage in that area, the Tigers will need to find a way to close that gap. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
