The Rickards Raiders are taking a road trip to challenge the Jefferson County Tigers at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Rickards is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.3 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Rickards turned things around against Hamilton County on Thursday. They blew past the Trojans 11-5. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Raiders considering their two-run performance the match before.
Shanyia Holmes spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on eight hits and racked up eight Ks.
On the hitting side, Rickards let Arriana Wilson and Zamiah Palmer run wild. Wilson scored three runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-3, while Palmer scored four runs while going 3-for-3. That's the most stolen bases Wilson has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Sheyenne Holmes, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Jefferson County was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their tenth straight defeat. They came up short against Wakulla Christian School, falling 17-1.
Jefferson County saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Liria Vargas, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI. That triple was Vargas' first of the season.
Jefferson County's loss dropped their record down to 1-11. As for Rickards, their victory bumped their record up to 7-9.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rickards has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .484. However, it's not like Jefferson County struggles in that department as they've averaged .490. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Rickards' way against Jefferson County in their previous meeting back in March, as Rickards made off with a 21-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Raiders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
