The Lawton Blue Devils will head out on the road to square off against the Gobles Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
As a matter of fact, Lawton put up the most runs they have all season on Tuesday. They blew past Hackett Catholic Prep 13-1.
Paityn Beam made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lily McCory, who went 2-for-3 with two triples, three runs, and one stolen base. Kaidence Beam was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Lawton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .656. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Gobles came out on top against Kellogg on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive 15-run second inning. The Tigers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Panthers a 16-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won six matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.
Like Lawton, Gobles also got a great game from a two-way player: Daisy Jackson. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Jackson was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI.
In other batting news, Gobles let Alana Gonzalez and Ashlyn Myers run wild. Gonzalez went 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Myers got on base in two of her three plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Makenna Hunt, who got on base in two of her three plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Gobles pushed their record up to 8-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Lawton, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-5.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lawton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .461. However, it's not like Gobles struggles in that department as they've averaged .513. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lawton might still be hurting after the 18-2 defeat they got from Gobles when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
