Carterville is 8-2 against Johnston City since March of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Carterville Lions will be staying on the road to face off against the Johnston City Indians at 4:30 p.m. Carterville is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Last Saturday, Carterville was able to grind out a solid win over Silver Creek, taking the game 5-1.
Caidence Phillips spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Carterville let Colbie Bennett and Kennedy Rushing loose on the outfield. Bennett got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and a triple, while Rushing went 3-for-3 with two runs and a triple.
Meanwhile, Johnston City had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9 runs), and they went ahead and made it six on Saturday. They were the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over the Wildcats. Considering Johnston City has won four matchups by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Johnston City also let their pitcher toss all six innings played and she was also dialed-in: Carlee Rogers gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on two hits and racked up ten Ks. Those ten strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Lilli Armes was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and a double. Another player making a difference was Hallie Newell, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, a triple, and an RBI.
Carterville's record is now 8-1. As for Johnston City, their victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 7-4.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Carterville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .342. However, it's not like Johnston City struggles in that department as they've averaged .336. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Carterville might still be hurting after the 11-1 loss they got from Johnston City when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can Carterville avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
