The Winchester Red & Black will head out to square off against the Maynard Tigers at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Winchester will be strutting in after a victory while Maynard will be coming in after a defeat.
Winchester came out on top against Waltham on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run third inning. The Red & Black never let the Hawks get on the board and left with a 13-0 win. That 13-run margin sets a new team best for the Red & Black this season.
The team relied heavily on Mia Stuart, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Carys Gugliotta was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Winchester kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Waltham only managed one.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 14 runs the game before, Maynard was a bit more limited in their contest on Friday. They fell just short of Hopedale by a score of 3-2. The Tigers' loss signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Maddy Karlon spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Elizabeth Schmidt was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games she's played.
The victory got Winchester back to even at 9-9. As for Maynard, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Winchester has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Maynard struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
