Ruston is 1-9 against Alexandria since March of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. Ruston will look to defend their home field against Alexandria at 6:00 p.m. Ruston has given up an average of 8.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Ruston is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fifth straight game on Tuesday. They lost 14-2 to West Monroe.
Ruston saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Aubrey Stoehr, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Alexandria waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Tigers 17-6. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won 13 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Mary Claire Brinkman made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and not a single walk). Those six strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Alexandria got a massive performance out of Jordyn Turner, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Those three runs gave Turner a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Marlie Fletcher, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 4-for-5.
Alexandria kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 20 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Alexandria pushed their record up to 19-4 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.7 runs over those games. As for Ruston, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-12.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ruston hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .338. However, it's not like Alexandria struggles in that department as they've averaged .330. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
