The Jerome Tigers will head out on the road to take on the Pocatello Thunder at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Jerome sitting on six straight wins and Pocatello on 13.
Jerome barely beat Burley the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Tigers blew past the Bobcats 17-7 on Thursday.
Briaunna Robbinette spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and five unearned) runs on six hits.
At the plate, Jerome got a massive performance out of Emma Allen, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Ellie Helmer was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double.
Jerome always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .595. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Burley only posted an OBP of .393.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, Pocatello rose to the challenge on Saturday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Bees 7-6. That's two games straight that the Thunder have won by just one run.
Oakley Hirschi was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Azlin Bullock, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Pocatello pushed their record up to 21-4 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Jerome, their record is now 17-11.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Jerome has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .507. However, it's not like Pocatello struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jerome suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Pocatello in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
