For the second straight game, Stuttgart will face off against Lonoke. The Ricebirds will venture away from home to take on the Jackrabbits at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Stuttgart has given up an average of 8.1 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Stuttgart managed to slip by Lonoke the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Ricebirds came up short against the Jackrabbits on Tuesday, falling 18-1. Surprisingly, this marked the fourth straight game in which the away team has come away the victor in this series.
For Lonoke's part, Kendra Terry spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on zero hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Kirsten Holt was incredible, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 5-for-5. Those five hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Coraline Spires, who went 1-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lonoke kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
The win was the third in a row for Lonoke, bringing their record up to 14-4. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.3 runs over those games. As for Stuttgart, their defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 9-6.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Stuttgart hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Lonoke struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.1 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
