The Tuslaw Mustangs will take on the Fairless Falcons at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Tuslaw is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 17-1 margin over Rittman on Saturday. The result was nothing new for the Mustangs, who have now won four contests by 11 runs or more so far this season.
Gabby McGowen looked comfortable as she pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Eiley Bolgiano was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. Kaydence Chapman was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
Tuslaw was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .667. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in six consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Fairless never let their opponents score on Saturday. Everything went their way against Malvern as they made off with a 16-0 victory. Considering the Falcons' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Madison Barkan made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chelsie Woods, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Addison Blackwood, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Tuslaw is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Fairless, their victory ended a 15-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-8.
Fairless' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Tuslaw has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .513. It's a different story for Fairless, though, as they've only averaged .352. Will they be able to contain Tuslaw's hitters?
Everything went Tuslaw's way against Fairless in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Tuslaw made off with an 8-1 win. Will the Mustangs repeat their success, or do the Falcons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
