Cumberland is 1-6 against Villa Grove since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Cumberland Pirates will be playing at home against the Villa Grove Blue Devils at 4:30 p.m. Cumberland is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Cumberland fell victim to a tough 16-6 loss at the hands of Marshall.
Jade Carr made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Libby McGinnis, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Villa Grove can now show off 11 landslide victories after their most recent contest on Wednesday. They blew past Fisher 19-4. The win was nothing new for Villa Grove as they're now sitting on six straight.
Logan Lillard was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched four innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. Lillard has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Lillard was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Piper Kiser, who went 3-for-3 with a home run, six RBI, and three runs. Alison Pangburn was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
Cumberland's defeat ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-12. As for Villa Grove, they pushed their record up to 14-10-1 with that victory, which was their fifth straight at home.
Cumberland's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. Cumberland has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Villa Grove, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Cumberland continue to outrun the ball?
Cumberland came up short against Villa Grove in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, falling 5-2. Can Cumberland avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
