The Amherst Falcons will face off against the Iola-Scandinavia Thunderbirds at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Amherst and Weyauwega-Fremont meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Monday. The Falcons never let the Warhawks get on the board and left with a 16-0 win. The Falcons haven't had any issues with the Warhawks recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
The team relied heavily on Aubrey Chandler, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Calee Schulist was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Amherst always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .750. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Iola-Scandinavia made easy work of Wild Rose on Tuesday and carried off a 20-0 win. That looming 20-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Thunderbirds yet this season.
Rayanne Clendenning was a major factor no matter where she played. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Clendenning was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, Iola-Scandinavia got a massive performance out of Brooklyn Berrens, who went 2-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Ava Printz, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one double.
Amherst's victory bumped their record up to 12-9. As for Iola-Scandinavia, their win bumped their record up to 16-6.
Iola-Scandinavia's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Amherst has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Iola-Scandinavia, though, as they've been averaging only 4.1 strikeouts. Will Amherst keep running through batters, or will the Thunderbirds buck the trend? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
