The Pettisville Blackbirds will face off against the Stryker Panthers at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Pettisville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11.3 runs per game this season.
Pettisville will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Gorham Fayette on Wednesday. The Blackbirds put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 22-1 win. The victory continues a trend for the Blackbirds in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won six in a row.
Macy Hoylman made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Hoylman was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Naomi Richer was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and four RBI. Olivia Miller was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI.
Pettisville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .674. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Stryker was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their tenth straight loss dating back to last season. They came up short against Hilltop, falling 26-0.
Pettisville's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-5. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.4 runs over those games. As for Stryker, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-9.
Stryker's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pettisville has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10 hits per game. It's a different story for Stryker, though, as they've been averaging 13.2 hits. Given Pettisville's sizable advantage in that area, the Panthers will need to find a way to close that gap.
Pettisville took their win against Stryker in their previous matchup last Tuesday by a conclusive 24-3 score. Do the Blackbirds have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
