The Ponaganset Chieftains are taking a road trip to  challenge the Smithfield Sentinels  at 4:00  p.m.  on Monday. Ponaganset is coming into the  matchup on  a  four-game losing streak.
Ponaganset is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another  one of Rhode Island's top teams: East Providence, who was ranked 13th  at the time (Ponaganset was ranked 17th). The Chieftains fell just short of the Townies by a score of  3-2 on Friday.
 Ponaganset saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was  Mia Duncan, who  went 1-for-3 with two  RBI.
While Smithfield didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. Everything went their way against Westerly on Thursday as they made off with  a  7-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Sentinels, who have now won five contests by six  runs or more  so far this season.
 Crystal Cacador was a  major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound,   striking out nine batters over  seven innings while giving up just one earned run off   seven  hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't  given up  more than two  walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box,  going 1-for-4 with two  runs and one  double.
 In other batting news,  the team  relied heavily on  Lily Riggin, who  went 1-for-3 with three  RBI and one  run.  Giannah Tutt also deserves some recognition as  she  hit her first  double of the season.
 Smithfield pushed their record up to 5-2 with the  win, which was their fourth straight  at home. The  home  victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Ponaganset, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart  on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Ponaganset has been retiring batters left and right this season,  having  averaged 6.6  strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Smithfield struggles in that department as   they've been averaging  an even more impressive 8.4  strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
 Ponaganset might still be hurting after the  10-1 defeat they got from Smithfield  in their previous matchup  back in March of 2019. Can the Chieftains avenge their  loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.