South and North are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2017, but likely not for long. The South Rebels will head out on the road to face off against the North Rangers at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. South is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.
Last Wednesday, South came up short against Jackson and fell 6-3. South has struggled against Jackson recently, as their contest on Wednesday was their third consecutive lost matchup.
South saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Allyson Leskiewicz, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Summer Bliss was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Meanwhile, North came tearing into Wednesday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.7 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 7-4 victory over the Cardinals.
Amanda Dobida spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances.
South's loss dropped their record down to 13-10. As for North, their win bumped their record up to 16-7.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. South has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .452. However, it's not like North struggles in that department as they've averaged .498. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
South came up short against North in their previous matchup back in April, falling 6-1. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Dobida, who didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Now that South knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
