The Cooper Jaguars will face off against the Taylor Yellowjackets at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Cooper sitting on three straight wins and Taylor on five.
Cooper proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by 12) and on Wednesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Boone County 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Jaguars have posted since May 16, 2024.
Lily Spraker spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and four unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ainsley Scroggie, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Sadie James, who went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Taylor got themselves on the board against Reading on Wednesday, but Reading never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Blue Devils with a sharp 10-0 victory. Considering the Yellowjackets have won six contests by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Ellie Stafford made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 14 over five innings pitched. Stafford was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Ady Franke was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Olivia Habig was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Taylor pushed their record up to 7-4 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.8 runs over those games. As for Cooper, their win bumped their record up to 7-16.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cooper hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .342. However, it's not like Taylor struggles in that department as they've averaged .400. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cooper came up short against Taylor when the teams last played back in March of 2024, falling 5-1. Will the Jaguars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
