The Goreville Blackcats will challenge the Pope County Pirates at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Goreville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Goreville is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 15-5 margin over Carrier Mills-Stonefort. The win continues a trend for the Blackcats in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won eight in a row.
Breanna (Brea) Suits was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Suits was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Emma Rogers was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one RBI. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Elisabeth Trainor, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Goreville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 9-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Pope County was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They lost 9-0 to Hardin County.
Bella Fasolo was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-5 with six RBI, two triples, and three runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaydan Holmes, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and one double.
Goreville's victory bumped their record up to 13-17. As for Pope County, their loss dropped their record down to 7-17.
Pope County's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Goreville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. It's a different story for Pope County, though, as they've only averaged .251. Will they be able to contain Goreville's hitters?
Goreville took their win against Pope County in their previous meeting back in April by a conclusive 11-3 score. Do the Blackcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pirates turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
