The St. Anthony Bulldogs will challenge the Paris Tigers at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. St. Anthony is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
St. Anthony is headed into Saturday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They fell 8-5 to Teutopolis. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly three runs.
Ava Faber stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Ady Rios, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last game, Paris made sure to put some runs up on the board against Hoopeston on Tuesday. The Tigers blew past the Cornjerkers 15-4. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by eight runs or more this season.
Emma Kraemer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Kraemer was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Paris let Mattie Carter and Sadie Sallee run wild. Carter went 4-for-5 with two triples, three runs, and three RBI, while Sallee went 3-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three hits gave Sallee a new career-high. Alison Wyrick was another key player, going 1-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Paris kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. They are 8-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Paris' win bumped their record up to 9-13. As for St. Anthony, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-10.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. St. Anthony hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Paris struggles in that department as they've averaged .326. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went St. Anthony's way against Paris when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as St. Anthony made off with a 7-0 victory. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
