The Caldwell Redskins will challenge the River Pilots at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Caldwell 3.6, River 2.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Caldwell fell victim to The Linsly School and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Cadets, falling 8-0. Having soared to a lofty 16 runs in the game before, the Redskins' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Caldwell saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lexi Franklin, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and one double.
River came out on top against Valley on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive ten-run first inning. The Pilots were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over the Lumberjacks. Considering the Pilots have won seven games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Ava Wohnhas made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season. She was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, Jachelle Hill was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brianna Wiley, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
River kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
River is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.0 runs over those games. As for Caldwell, their defeat ended a seven-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 11-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Caldwell has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like River struggles in that department as they've been averaging 12.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Caldwell beat River 5-0 in their previous meeting on April 6th. Do the Redskins have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pilots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.