The Mt. Zion Braves will challenge the Charleston Trojans at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mt. Zion barely beat Lincoln the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Braves' pitchers stepped up to hand the Railsplitters a 10-0 shutout on Thursday. The Braves haven't had any issues with the Railsplitters recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Ella Fink was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, Avelyn Ethell was excellent, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Ellie Green, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
Charleston came out on top against Paris on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive 13-run fifth inning. The Trojans were the clear victors by a 17-7 margin over the Tigers.
Lainie Keefer was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Aubrey Hunter, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Mt. Zion's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-7. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Charleston, their victory bumped their record up to 13-8.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mt. Zion hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .388. However, it's not like Charleston struggles in that department as they've averaged .359. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mt. Zion beat Charleston 13-10 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Do the Braves have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
