The Connellsville Falcons are taking a road trip to take on the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Connellsville came out on top against Peters Township on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fifth inning. The Falcons blew past the Indians 10-1. Considering the Falcons have won eight matches by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Kendal King spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits.
On the hitting side, Cali Leichliter was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Rylee Dreves also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Connellsville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson came tearing into Wednesday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Black Hawks. Eight seems to be a good number for the Jaguars as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Thomas Jefferson also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Aubrey Shaffer gave up five earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks. Shaffer has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Olivia Stock, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. Addi Bracco was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Thomas Jefferson pushed their record up to 9-6 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Connellsville, their record is now 11-5.
Connellsville came up short against Thomas Jefferson in their previous meeting on Monday, falling 8-4. Can the Falcons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
