Elizabethtown hasn't had much luck against Ballard recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Panthers will head out to square off against the Bruins at 12:00 p.m. Elizabethtown's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so Ballard's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Elizabethtown is headed into the matchup having just suffered their closest defeat since April 28th on Thursday. They fell just short of Meade County by a score of 3-1.
Meanwhile, Ballard waltzed into their game on Thursday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They put the hurt on the Cardinals with a sharp 8-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Bruins, who have now won 14 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Jaedyn Lyons and Emery Schuster made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Lyons tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Meanwhile, Schuster tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Lyons has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances. At bat, Lyons went 1-for-2 with two RBI, while Schuster went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kennedy Gatewood, who earned two runs and four stolen bases. Those four stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Chloe Perry also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Ballard pushed their record up to 20-11 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. As for Elizabethtown, their loss dropped their record down to 15-9.
Saturday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Elizabethtown hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. However, it's not like Ballard struggles in that department as they've averaged .375. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Elizabethtown came up short against Ballard in their previous meeting back in March of 2019, falling 4-1. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
