The Ooltewah Owls will square off against the McMinn Central Chargers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Ooltewah is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.3 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Ooltewah made easy work of Sale Creek and carried off an 11-3 victory. The Owls haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Emmerson Reed
| 04/16/25 vs Sale Creek | 4 |
| 04/09/25 vs Notre Dame | 3 |
| 03/11/25 vs East Ridge | 8 |
Emmerson Reed made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed six innings while giving up three earned runs off seven hits. What's more, she posted four strikeouts, the most she's had since back in March. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaylin Leblanc, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Kaleigh Balla was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, McMinn Central didn't have quite enough to beat Tellico Plains on Wednesday and fell 7-6. The Chargers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Lauren Peterson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, McMinn Central saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Josie Grueber, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. Another was Jayme Tiberio, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
McMinn Central's defeat dropped their record down to 10-8. As for Ooltewah, their victory bumped their record up to 21-5.
McMinn Central's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Ooltewah has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.5 hits per game. It's a different story for McMinn Central, though, as they've been averaging 9.1 hits. Given Ooltewah's sizable advantage in that area, the Chargers will need to find a way to close that gap.
Ooltewah couldn't quite get it done against McMinn Central when the teams last played back in April of 2024 as they fell 10-5. Can the Owls avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
