We've got a battle between Tigers coming up. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Hatley comes in on five and Nettleton on 16.
Hatley barely beat Walnut the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Hatley blew past Walnut 7-1 on Thursday. Considering the Tigers have won five games by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Emily Hill
| 03/27/25 vs Walnut | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Walnut | 2 |
| 03/22/25 vs Amory | 1 |
| 03/20/25 @ Hamilton | 1 |
| 03/07/25 vs New Site | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
Emily Hill spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kinsley Echols, who scored a run while going 1-for-3. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in February. Kelsey Coffey also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Hatley was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Nettleton was not the first on the board on Thursday, but they got there more often. They came out on top against Saltillo by a score of 9-5. The game was the first time Nettleton has beaten Saltillo on their field since March 5, 2018.
Bailey Payne was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Payne was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Josie Smith was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
Nettleton's win was their 12th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 18-1-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for Hatley, their record is now 11-5.
Hatley was able to grind out a solid win over Nettleton when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 7-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hatley since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
