The Riverside Warriors will face off against the Huntington Highlanders at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The timing is sure in Riverside's favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while Huntington has been banged up by 11 consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.
Riverside took a 16-run loss the last time they faced off against Ripley, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Warriors had just enough and edged out the Vikings 6-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Warriors have posted against the Vikings since March 31, 2018.
Shaylea Blackhurst
| 04/18/25 @ Ripley | 0 |
| 04/15/25 vs Parkersburg | 2 |
| 04/12/25 @ Steubenville | 2 |
Shaylea Blackhurst made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, firing off three home runs while going 3-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had over her last eight matchups.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Starr Hudnall, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Riverside lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their home run total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Huntington). They put the hurt on Tug Valley with a sharp 10-4 win on Friday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Highlanders as it spelled an end to their eight-game losing streak.
Like Riverside, Huntington also got a great game from a two-way player: Layla Crickard. She tossed seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Crickard was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Lilly Robinson was incredible, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. Ellie Fei was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Riverside is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.9 runs over those games. As for Huntington, their victory bumped their record up to 3-13.
Huntington's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Riverside hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .403. It's a different story for Huntington, though, as they've only averaged .218. Will they be able to contain Riverside's hitters?
Everything went Riverside's way against Huntington when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as Riverside made off with a 16-0 win. Do the Warriors have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Highlanders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
