The Red Hill Salukis will head out on the road to face off against the Hutsonville/Palestine Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Red Hill took a seven-run defeat the last time they faced off against Martinsville, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Salukis won by a run and slipped past the Bluestreaks 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Salukis have posted since April 9, 2024.
Whitley McCaslin made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. McCaslin was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season.
In other batting news, Kaelynn Biehl was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. That stolen base was her first of the season. Chloe Seed was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last matchup, Hutsonville/Palestine made sure to put some runs up on the board against Grayville on Wednesday. The Tigers blew past the Bison 11-1. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by six runs or more this season.
Like Red Hill, Hutsonville/Palestine also got a great game from a two-way player: Hayden Monan. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit (and only one walk). Monan has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Lily Holcomb was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Another player making a difference was Ayla Cook, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Hutsonville/Palestine kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 7-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Hutsonville/Palestine has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 8.7 runs. As for Red Hill, their record now sits at 2-5.
Red Hill might still be hurting after the 22-0 loss they got from Hutsonville/Palestine in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Salukis avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
