The Ponaganset Chieftains will head out on the road to challenge the Portsmouth Patriots at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Ponaganset will be looking to extend their current ten-game winning streak.
Ponaganset is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: Lincoln, who was ranked 15th in their home state at the time (Ponaganset was ranked third). Ponaganset came out on top against Lincoln by a score of 9-4 on Thursday.
Chloe Barber made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off seven hits. Barber was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maia Salvo, who went 3-for-3 with a home run, two runs, and a triple. Another player making a difference was Ava Difiore, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth entered their tilt with Narragansett with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They walked away with a 7-3 win over the Mariners on Friday.
Like Ponaganset, Portsmouth also got a great game from a two-way player: Mary Rainey. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Rainey was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Megan Malone was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances. Mia Ruggieri was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4.
Ponaganset's victory was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-1. As for Portsmouth, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season.
Monday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Ponaganset hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .376. However, it's not like Portsmouth struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ponaganset was able to grind out a solid win over Portsmouth when the teams last played back in May of 2023, winning 6-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ponaganset 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
