Pymatuning Valley is on a nine-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Chalker is on a five-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Pymatuning Valley Lakers will take on the Chalker Wildcats at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Chalker's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Friday: Pymatuning Valley had not allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. Pymatuning Valley never let Shaker Heights onto the board and left with a 15-0 win on Thursday. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Pymatuning Valley has managed all season.
Saige Payne made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Payne has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances. Payne was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Pymatuning Valley let Nataleigh Haines and Allison Clark loose on the outfield. Haines scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Clark scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Clark has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of McKenna Jordan, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Chalker was not the first on the board on Thursday, but they got there more often. They blew past Harding 9-2.
Like Pymatuning Valley, Chalker also got a great game from a two-way player: Kelsey Kren. On the mound, she tossed 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. Kren was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, Gabby Nieves was a standout: she scored three runs while going 2-for-3. Jaclyn Blake was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Pymatuning Valley's win bumped their record up to 16-1. As for Chalker, their victory bumped their record up to 10-2.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pymatuning Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Chalker struggles in that department as they've averaged .482. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pymatuning Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Chalker in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, sneaking past 2-1. Will Pymatuning Valley repeat their success, or does Chalker have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
