The Reading Blue Devils will square off against the Northwestern Warriors at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Reading is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.7 runs per game this season.
Reading is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 victory over Bethel-Tate. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Blue Devils have posted since April 9th.
Kotah Brisbin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on nine hits.
At the plate, Reading let Eliza Schierloh and Hailey Mowell run wild. Schierloh went 3-for-4 with three RBI and one double, while Mowell went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. That's the most RBI Schierloh has posted since back in April.
Meanwhile, Northwestern had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Monday. They blew past the Trojans 7-0. The result was nothing new for the Warriors, who have now won ten games by six runs or more so far this season.
Sophia Pamer made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Julia Shaw and Claire Stott did most of the damage at the plate: Shaw went 2-for-3 with two runs, while Stott went 1-for-2 with one home run. Samantha Wolfe was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Reading's record is now 14-6. As for Northwestern, their record now sits at 17-9.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Reading hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .383. However, it's not like Northwestern struggles in that department as they've averaged .355. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
