The Chalker Wildcats will look to defend their home field on Wednesday against the Newton Falls Tigers at 5:00 p.m. Chalker is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.7 runs per game this season.
Newton Falls is facing Chalker at the wrong time: Chalker suffered their first home loss of the season on Monday and they're likely out for redemption. They fell 8-5 to the Rockets. It was the first time this season that Chalker let down their fans at home.
Gabby Hromada was huge no matter where she played even without the win. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Hromada has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive pitching appearances. Hromada was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
In other batting news, Morgan Strock made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored three runs and stole four bases while going 4-for-4. Another player making a difference was Gabby Nieves, who scored a run while going 3-for-4.
Even though they lost, Chalker didn't let batters stay on the plate for long and finished the game with ten strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Maplewood only tossed six.
Meanwhile, Newton Falls came into Monday's contest having lost six straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. Everything went their way against John F. Kennedy Catholic on Monday as Newton Falls made off with a 12-2 victory.
Like Chalker, Newton Falls also got a great game from a two-way player: Kylee Lance. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and not a single walk). Lance was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a triple.
In other batting news, Newton Falls let Autumn Willaman and Kirra Howard loose on the outfield. Willaman scored three runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances, while Howard scored three runs while getting on base in two of her five plate appearances. Ella Downing was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Chalker's loss ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 10-4. As for Newton Falls, their win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 5-18.
Newton Falls' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Chalker has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .469. It's a different story for Newton Falls, though, as they've only averaged .356. Will they be able to contain Chalker's hitters?
Chalker took their victory against Newton Falls in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 11-0. Will Chalker repeat their success, or does Newton Falls have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
