The Minersville Battlin' Miners will head out on the road to square off against the Williams Valley Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Minersville took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They blew past Shenandoah Valley 17-2. The Battlin' Miners haven't had any issues with the Blue Devils recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Cali Laudeman looked comfortable as she tossed three innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits.
On the hitting side, Payton Frantz was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple was her first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Grace Sterner, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and two RBI.
Minersville was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Williams Valley hadn't done well against Tri-Valley recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Vikings' pitcher stepped up to hand the Bulldogs a 15-0 shutout. The victory was familiar territory for the Vikings, who have now won nine matches in a row.
Sage Smeltz made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Olivia Hand, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Kayla Hand was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs.
Williams Valley's win was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.1 runs over those games. As for Minersville, their record is now 8-10.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Minersville has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .479. However, it's not like Williams Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .538. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Minersville might still be hurting after the 8-1 loss they got from Williams Valley in their previous matchup back in April. Can the Battlin' Miners avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
