The Westmont Hilltop Hilltoppers will take on the Philipsburg-Osceola Mountaineers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
While Westmont Hilltop's win against Bedford wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Hilltoppers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 victory over the Bisons on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Hilltoppers in their matchups with the Bisons: they've now won five in a row.
Addy Dunbar made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Dunbar wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Kelsie Muto, who went 1-for-4 with one home run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Philipsburg-Osceola, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Tyrone on Tuesday, sneaking past 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Mountaineers have posted since April 22, 2024.
Like Westmont Hilltop, Philipsburg-Osceola also got a great game from a two-way player: Alivia Bizzarri. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Bizzarri was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emily Gustkey, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Westmont Hilltop pushed their record up to 12-2 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average over those games. As for Philipsburg-Osceola, their win bumped their record up to 9-5.
Both Westmont Hilltop and Philipsburg-Osceola just can't seem to miss. The Hilltoppers have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.5 hits per game. However, it's not like Philipsburg-Osceola struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Westmont Hilltop came up short against Philipsburg-Osceola in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 9-4. Will the Hilltoppers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
