The Portsmouth Patriots will face off against the Toll Gate Titans at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Portsmouth is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.7 runs per game this season.
Portsmouth will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Burrillville on Friday. The Patriots were the clear victors by a 17-7 margin over the Broncos. The Patriots haven't had any issues with the Broncos recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Mia Ruggieri made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits (and only one walk). Ruggieri was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in five of her six plate appearances with two runs and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Barbara Rainey was incredible, firing off two home runs, four runs, and four RBI while going 3-for-5. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Lilly Morgado, who went 1-for-5 with three runs.
Portsmouth always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .569. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Burrillville only posted an OBP of .400.
Meanwhile, Toll Gate faced Johnston in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Titans sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over the Panthers. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Titans.
Delaney Wilson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up eight Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Emma Harold, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.
Portsmouth's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-9. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.7 runs over those games. As for Toll Gate, their victory bumped their record up to 11-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Portsmouth has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Toll Gate struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Portsmouth took their win against Toll Gate in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 13-2 score. Will the Patriots repeat their success, or do the Titans have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
