The Grant Cougars will face off against the Jena Giants at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Grant is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
It was a proper cat-fight when Grant took on Winnfield on Tuesday. The Cougars fell 4-1 to the Tigers. The Cougars have struggled against the Tigers recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.
Peyton Kirtland put in work no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI.
Kirtland wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Saydie Willson, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Jena waltzed into their game on Tuesday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. They came out on top against the Indians by a score of 7-3. Seven seems to be a good number for the Giants as the team scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Kiette Cooper spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on five hits and racked up 14 Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Haylee Dangerfield, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Sydney Williams, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Jena's victory was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 22-4. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.1 runs on average over those games. As for Grant, their loss dropped their record down to 13-10.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Grant hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Jena struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
