The Newcomerstown Trojans are taking a road trip to challenge the New Philadelphia Quakers at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Newcomerstown put up the most runs they have all season on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Malvern with a sharp 17-1 win. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Brandi Morris made a splash no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maddie Kellish, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those RBI marked the first that she has brought in this season. McConnell Makayla was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Newcomerstown kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Malvern only managed two hits.
Meanwhile, New Philadelphia got themselves on the board against Ashland on Wednesday, but Ashland never followed suit. They blew past the Arrows 11-0. Considering the Quakers have won seven matchups by more than seven runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Newcomerstown, New Philadelphia also got a great game from a two-way player: Jillian Howard. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over five innings pitched. Howard was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, New Philadelphia got a big performance out of Sara Cardani, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and one double. That's the most hits Cardani has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Easton Miller, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
New Philadelphia is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games. As for Newcomerstown, the victory got them back to even at 3-3.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Newcomerstown hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like New Philadelphia struggles in that department as they've averaged .337. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
