The New Richmond Lions will venture away from home to face off against the Talawanda Brave at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. New Richmond is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
New Richmond fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Fairfield on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Indians by a score of 4-3.
Gracie Seibert was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-5 with two doubles and one run. Another player making a difference was Molly Schuster, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, while Talawanda put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Northwest. The Brave blew past the Knights 14-0. The result was nothing new for the Brave, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Kaylee Griffin made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maddy Cox, who fired off two home runs and six RBI while going 2-for-4. Those six RBI gave her a new career-high. Audrey Hilbert was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Talawanda was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .652. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Talawanda's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-7. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for New Richmond, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-6 record this season.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. New Richmond hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. However, it's not like Talawanda struggles in that department as they've averaged .386. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
