Volunteer has won six straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Grainger has won six straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Falcons will host the Grizzlies at 5:30 p.m. Volunteer is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.5 runs per game this season.
Grainger's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Thursday: Volunteer hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Falcons' pitcher stepped up to hand Cherokee a 16-0 shutout on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Falcons in their matchups with the Chiefs: they've now won eight in a row.
Addyson Fisher made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Volunteer got a massive performance out of Jenna Thomas, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that Thomas launched this season. Another player making a difference was Zetta Smith, who scored three runs while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Grainger came up short against Greeneville on Tuesday, falling 17-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Grizzlies have suffered against the Greene Devils since March 29, 2022.
Grainger also got a good showing from Allie Trent, who pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
At the plate, Amanda Kledzik made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. McKinley Mills was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Grainger's defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 9-4. As for Volunteer, their victory bumped their record up to 11-2.
Grainger's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Volunteer has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Grainger, though, as they've been averaging 11.8 hits. Given Volunteer's sizable advantage in that area, the Grizzlies will need to find a way to close that gap.
Volunteer skirted past Grainger 3-2 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Do the Falcons have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Grizzlies turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
