The Prout Crusaders will challenge the Smithfield Sentinels at 3:00 p.m. on Monday. Prout has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with three straight losses, while Smithfield will come in with three straight victories.
Prout is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 11 runs on Tuesday, they were much more limited against East Providence on Thursday. They lost 8-2 to the Townies.
Emma Manzo made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. Rachel Dias also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, while Smithfield put up some runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Cumberland. The Sentinels were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Clippers. The Sentinels might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by nine runs or more this season.
Crystal Cacador was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out six over four innings pitched. Cacador was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Sophia Parrillo was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Lily Riggin was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Smithfield kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Smithfield's win bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Prout, they now have a losing record of 2-3.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Prout has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. However, it's not like Smithfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 3.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Prout was able to grind out a solid victory over Smithfield in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, winning 4-1. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Sentinels have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
