Gaither extended their losing streak to four on Thursday, dropping them down to 6-11. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-2 heartbreaker at the hands of the Durant Cougars. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the Cougars this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 10-0 back in February.
Kendal Jackson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Carolyn Emanuel was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
As for Durant, they are on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games.
On Durant's side, they also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Madyson Lauer gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on six hits and racked up ten Ks. Lauer has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Betty Oderio was excellent, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Alyssa Chancey, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Gaither will face off against Wharton at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Cowboys' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Wildcats have averaged an impressive 7.3 runs per game this season. As for Durant, they will square off against Plant at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (the Cougars 2.5, the Panthers 3.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
