Ruston is 1-9 against Pineville since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Ruston Bearcats will host the Pineville Rebels at 5:00 p.m. Ruston has given up an average of 6.8 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Things were looking good for Ruston after they put the first points on the board on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of Alexandria by a score of 15-14. That's two games in a row now that the Bearcats have lost by just one run.
Aubrey Stoehr was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Morgan Foster, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Pineville came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let West Monroe get on the board and left with an 8-0 victory. Considering Pineville has won ten contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
The result came thanks to Addalyn Burch's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up six Ks. That's the fewest hits she has allowed over her last ten games.
At the plate, Pineville let Madalyn Halle and Jadin Basco run wild. Halle got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and two RBI, while Basco went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Halle has been hot, having posted at least one home run the last eight times she's played. Briley Byrnes was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Pineville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in three consecutive matchups.
Pineville's win was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Ruston, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 7-6.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ruston hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Pineville struggles in that department as they've averaged .415. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ruston suffered a grim 17-8 defeat to Pineville when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can Ruston avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
