For the second straight game, Florence will face off against Merkel. The Buffaloes will challenge the Badgers at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Florence is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Merkel 3-1.
For Merkel's part, McKinley Crouch spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on six hits and racked up 14 Ks. Crouch has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 23 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Merkel saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kenleigh George, who went 1-for-3 with one run.
Florence has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-10-1 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.6 runs over those games. As for Merkel, the loss snapped their winning streak at four games and leaves them with a 24-7-1 record.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Florence has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Merkel struggles in that department as they've averaged .465. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
