The Rivercrest Colts will venture away from home to challenge the Paragould Rams at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Rivercrest is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Rivercrest took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top against McCrory by a score of 8-5.
Katelyn Ostendorf
| 04/23/26 vs McCrory | 0 |
| 04/21/26 @ East Poinsett County | 2 |
| 04/20/26 @ Gosnell | 2 |
Katelyn Ostendorf was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off 11 hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Karlee Cullom and Hannah Higgins did most of the damage at the plate: Cullom went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Higgins went 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Ella Gonzalez, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Rivercrest kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Paragould was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 2-1 heartbreaker at the hands of Walnut Ridge.
Lexis Covington spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on seven hits.
On the hitting side, Paragould saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Madison Martin, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run. Josie Hill also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Rivercrest's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-6. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Paragould, their loss dropped their record down to 7-14.
Paragould's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Rivercrest has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.1 hits per game. It's a different story for Paragould, though, as they've been averaging 9.2 hits. Given Rivercrest's sizable advantage in that area, the Rams will need to find a way to close that gap.
Rivercrest couldn't quite get it done against Paragould in their previous matchup back in March of 2021 as they fell 5-1. Can the Colts avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
