The Hammonton Blue Devils will square off against the Cherokee Chiefs at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hammonton will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
While Hammonton didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-19), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over Washington Township on Tuesday. Considering the Blue Devils have won five matches by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Gracie Ravenkamp was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. Ravenkamp was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Hammonton got a big performance out of Vivian Wilson, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances. Wilson also brought in an RBI, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Layla Cuneo-Snouffer, who scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Hammonton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Washington Township only posted an OBP of .286.
Meanwhile, Cherokee lost 9-3 to Rancocas Valley on Tuesday. The Chiefs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Kasey McNee made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Allison Cunane was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Hammonton's victory was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Cherokee, their loss dropped their record down to 2-2.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hammonton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. However, it's not like Cherokee struggles in that department as they've averaged .342. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hammonton couldn't quite finish off Cherokee in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 4-2. Can the Blue Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
