The Jefferson Raiders will face off against the Fife Trojans at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Jefferson lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Beamer, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's match. The Raiders blew past the Titans 26-13 on Thursday. The Raiders' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Delaney Merritt looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
At the plate, Julia Mears was a standout: she got on base in five of her six plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Molly Burt, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Jefferson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .800. They are 2-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Fife never let their opponents score on Thursday. They put the hurt on Steilacoom with a sharp 18-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won six games by eight runs or more so far this season.
Fife let Brooke Lindenmuth and Mallory Robson run wild. Lindenmuth went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, four RBI, and one stolen base, while Robson went 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Those three hits gave Lindenmuth a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Emma Parker, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
Jefferson picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 2-8. As for Fife, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-5.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Jefferson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .539. However, it's not like Fife struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
