Softball Game Preview: Rutland Raiders vs. Mt. Mansfield Cougars

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Previous 3 Games

05/18/24 - Home	12-0 W
04/12/23 - Home	28-5 W
04/23/22 - Home	31-1 W

Rutland is a perfect 3-0 against Mt. Mansfield since April of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Raiders will head out to face off against the Cougars at 11:00 a.m. Mt. Mansfield took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Rutland, who comes in off a win.

Rutland is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They came out on top against Fair Haven by a score of 13-9 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Mt. Mansfield was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their 23rd straight loss dating back to last season. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 15-13 heartbreaker at the hands of Burlington. Even if the Cougars couldn't come away with the victory, the high-scoring effort was a great turnaround for their hitters, which had struggled int the games prior.

Addie Gillilan was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up seven earned (and eight unearned) runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.

In other batting news, Cassidy Thompson stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 3-for-5 with four runs. Sofie Bush also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Rutland's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Mt. Mansfield, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-8.

Rutland took their victory against Mt. Mansfield when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 12-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Raiders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.