Smithville and Gateway College Preparatory squared off in some playoff action on Friday, but Smithville had to settle for second. They took a 9-4 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Gateway College Preparatory Gators. Smithville has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Jessi Davis was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and a double.
On Gateway College Preparatory's side, Chloe Ellis made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). Ellis has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in 22 consecutive pitching appearances. Ellis was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
Ellis wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Natalee VanTassel, who scored two runs while going 1-for-4. Maia Little was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Smithville's defeat dropped their record down to 16-11-3. As for Gateway College Preparatory, they are on a roll lately: they've won 13 of their last 14 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 25-6-2 record this season.
Smithville does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Gateway College Preparatory, they are on the road again on Wednesday to play Salado at 7:00 p.m. Salado will roll in looking for their 17th straight victory, something Gateway College Preparatory surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
