The Providence Pioneers will take on the Eastern Musketeers at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Providence took a 11-run defeat the last time they faced off against Jeffersonville, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Pioneers came out on top in a nail-biter against the Red Devils on Monday, sneaking past 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Pioneers have posted against the Red Devils since April 16, 2015.
Presley Hegedus (2026) made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bella Leasor (2025), who scored a run while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Presley Flowers (2028), who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Eastern, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 victory over Silver Creek on Tuesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Bracie Jackson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, Eastern saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lila Blevins, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Providence is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-2 record this season. As for Eastern, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Providence has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Eastern struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Providence's way against Eastern in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Providence made off with an 8-0 victory. Will the Pioneers repeat their success, or do the Musketeers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
