The Northwest Jaguars will venture away from home to face off against the Whitman Vikings at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Northwest's pitching crew has only allowed 2.1 runs per game this season, so Whitman's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Northwest is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Maryland's top teams: Sherwood, who was ranked fifth at the time (Northwest was ranked 19th). The Jaguars took a 7-4 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Warriors on Thursday. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 8, 2021, but that streak is no more.
Ali Porter made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Brody Liebow, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last contest, Whitman made sure to put some runs up on the board against Poolesville on Wednesday. The Vikings had just enough and edged out the Falcons 15-14. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Falcons recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Sienna Rancilio was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Liza Lane, who went 3-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Whitman kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 4.6 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 games they've averaged 9.6.
Northwest's defeat dropped their record down to 10-3. As for Whitman, their victory bumped their record up to 6-11.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Northwest hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .407. However, it's not like Whitman struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. 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.
