Mattoon was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fifth straight loss. They fell 8-3 to the Mt. Zion Braves. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Mattoon of the 13-3 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in April of 2023.
Sydney Starwalt was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Alexia Murdock was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a run, and a double.
Even though they lost, Mattoon was hitting in the alleys and finished the game with four doubles. That's the most doubles they've managed all season.
On Mt. Zion's side, Ella Fink was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits (and only one walk). Fink has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in four consecutive pitching appearances. Fink was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Audri Johnson, who went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Savanna Beiler, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a double.
Mattoon's loss dropped their record down to 2-10. As for Mt. Zion, their victory was their 15th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-1.
The teams didn't have to wait long for a rematch: they beat Mattoon by a score of 9-3 later that day.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
