The Herriman Mustangs will head out to face off against the Copper Hills Grizzlies at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Herriman will be strutting in after a victory while Copper Hills will be coming in after a loss.
Herriman proved they can win big on Friday (they won by 16) and on Wednesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 win over Pleasant Grove.
Ashlyn Beratto spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks.
Kinlee McDermaid
| 04/16/25 @ Pleasant Grove | 2 |
| 03/27/25 @ Bingham | 1 |
| 03/21/24 @ Copper Hills | 1 |
| 03/08/24 vs Bishop Kelly | 1 |
On the hitting side, Kinlee McDermaid was incredible, firing off two home runs and four RBI while going 3-for-4. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jaylee Hansen, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
McDermaid wasn't the only one making solid contact: Herriman kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. The Mustangs are a perfect 7-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Copper Hills entered their game against Bingham on Tuesday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Grizzlies came up short against the Miners, falling 9-0. Having soared to a lofty 11 runs in the game before, the Grizzlies' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Copper Hills also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kennedy Jennings gave up five earned (and four unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up 11 Ks.
Herriman pushed their record up to 9-8 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Copper Hills, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-6.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Herriman has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .452. However, it's not like Copper Hills struggles in that department as they've averaged .449. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Herriman was able to grind out a solid victory over Copper Hills when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 11-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
