Rittman is 1-9 against Smithville since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Indians will look to defend their home field against the Smithies at 5:00 p.m. Rittman will be strutting in after a win while Smithville will be coming in after a loss.
Having struggled with three defeats in a row, Rittman turned things around against Central Christian on Monday. They walked away with a 9-5 victory over the Comets.
Lillian Halliwell made a big impact no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Allison Hollabaugh, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Alexis LaBo was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Smithville was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss dating back to last season. They lost 12-6 to Dalton.
Caitlin Walsh-Knouff was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring three runs while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Kiersten Ross, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Smithville's defeat dropped their record down to 0-3. As for Rittman, their win bumped their record up to 2-5.
Smithville's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Rittman has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Smithville, though, as they've been averaging only 3.7 strikeouts. Will Rittman keep running through batters, or will the Smithies buck the trend?
Rittman might still be hurting after the 13-6 loss they got from Smithville in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Indians avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
