The Jefferson Area Falcons will face off against the Grand Valley Mustangs at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Jefferson Area knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past five matchups -- so hopefully Grand Valley likes a good challenge.
On Monday, Jefferson Area made easy work of Conneaut and carried off a 19-3 victory. The Falcons haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Olivia Lewis was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Lewis was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Allison Hill, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Alaina Barress, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-5.
Jefferson Area was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .588. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .381 or higher in six consecutive contests.
Grand Valley never got on the board in their matchup on Wednesday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Lordstown on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 25-2 margin over the Red Devils. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Mustangs' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Like Jefferson Area, Grand Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Ady Kovacic. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Kovacic was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring five runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. Those hits marked the first that she got this season.
In other batting news, Kaityln Baumann and Lydia Prah did most of the damage at the plate: Baumann scored three runs and stole four bases while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances, while Prah scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances. Those runs were Baumann's first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Isabella Paulic, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
The victory got Jefferson Area back to even at 5-5. As for Grand Valley, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
Grand Valley's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Jefferson Area has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Grand Valley, though, as they've been averaging 11 hits. Given Jefferson Area's sizable advantage in that area, the Mustangs will need to find a way to close that gap.
Jefferson Area took their victory against Grand Valley in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 19-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
