The Eastern Warriors are taking a road trip to square off against the Manchester Greyhounds at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Eastern's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Manchester's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
North Adams hit Eastern with a four-run third inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Warriors took an 8-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Green Devils. The Warriors have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Addison Arey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and five unearned) runs on ten hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Isabella Spires made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Raylee Brummett also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Manchester ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top against Fairfield by a score of 12-9. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Greyhounds as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Manchester also let their pitcher toss all nine innings and she was also dialed-in: Bayleigh Spires gave up just two earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Manchester saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Elliana Applegate, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and one stolen base. Another was Mahayla Brown, who went 2-for-5 with four RBI and one run.
Eastern's defeat dropped their record down to 8-3. As for Manchester, their victory bumped their record up to 8-4.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Eastern hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .338. However, it's not like Manchester struggles in that department as they've averaged .360. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Eastern came out on top in a nail-biter against Manchester when the teams last played back in April of 2025, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Warriors since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
