Parker is 0-6 against Homewood since March of 2017 but things could change on Monday. The Parker Thundering Herd will challenge the Homewood Patriots at 5:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Parker has five straight wins, Homewood has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Saturday, Parker got the win against Central by a conclusive 9-1. The result was nothing new for the Thundering Herd, who have now won four matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Leah Ray made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run but no hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single hit in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chelsea Ware, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Another player making a difference was Kamila Dabney, who scored two runs while getting on base in both of her plate appearances.
Parker always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .562 or higher in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Homewood didn't have quite enough to beat John Carroll Catholic on Thursday and fell 6-4.
Anne Hope Howell was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits (and not a single walk).
At the plate, Kloeanne Smith was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one triple and one RBI. That RBI marked the first that she brought in this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Lucy Robinett, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Homewood's defeat dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Parker, their record now sits at 5-0.
Parker's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's contest. Parker has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Homewood, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Parker continue to outrun the ball?
Parker suffered a grim 20-2 defeat to Homewood when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can Parker avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
