The Columbia Central Golden Eagles will challenge the Hanover-Horton Comets at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Columbia Central took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They never let Michigan Center get on the board and left with a 7-0 win.
Hailey Wetherby
| 05/12/25 vs Michigan Center | 16 |
| 05/10/25 vs Howell | 6 |
| 05/07/25 @ Homer | 8 |
| 05/05/25 vs Leslie | 5 |
| 05/02/25 vs East Jackson | 14 |
| + 8 more games |
Hailey Wetherby made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 16 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gabby Gaydosh, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs. Another player making a difference was Rylee Knapp, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.
Meanwhile, Hanover-Horton put their dominant pitcher on display in the team's fourth consecutive shutout on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 6-0 margin over Manchester.
Like Columbia Central, Hanover-Horton also got a great game from a two-way player: Alexyn DuBois. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 13 over seven innings pitched. Those 13 strikeouts gave DuBois a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Amanda Ley was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Halle Swihart was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Columbia Central pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Hanover-Horton, their victory bumped their record up to 13-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Columbia Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hanover-Horton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Columbia Central suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Hanover-Horton in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Will the Golden Eagles 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.
