The Northampton Yellowjackets will take on the Arcadia Firebirds at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Northampton has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the game with six straight defeats, while Arcadia will come in with four straight victories.
Northampton couldn't beat Mathews on Friday even though they stacked six runs on them in the second inning. The Yellowjackets came up short against the Blue Devils, falling 16-9.
Ryleigh Caison was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Ortavia Rogers, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one double.
Meanwhile, Arcadia was able to grind out a solid win over Sts. Peter & Paul on Monday, taking the game 7-2.
Ryann Giddens made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 16 over seven innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Payton Taylor, who got on base in two of her three plate appearances with two runs and one RBI. Brinlee Kauthen was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Arcadia hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Arcadia pushed their record up to 10-7 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Northampton, their loss dropped their record down to 3-12.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Northampton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Arcadia struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Northampton might still be hurting after the 16-0 defeat they got from Arcadia in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will the Yellowjackets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
