After having lost a blowout in their previous game against Springfield, Athens was happy to have turned things around on Thursday. They blew past the Jacksonville Crimsons 17-6. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Athens considering their one-run performance the match before.
Layken Buch was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Buch has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in four consecutive pitching appearances. Buch was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Jaci Derringer was incredible, firing off four home runs, five runs, and seven RBI while going 5-for-5. Another player making a difference was Preslie Buckmaster, who fired off two home runs and four RBI while going 4-for-5.
Athens' win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-8. As for Jacksonville, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-12 record this season.
Athens will look to defend their home field on Friday against Auburn at 4:30 p.m. Auburn will roll in looking for their eighth straight victory, something Athens surely won't give up without a fight. As for Jacksonville, they will head out on the road to face off against Sacred Heart-Griffin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
