The Johnston Panthers will take on the Ponaganset Chieftains on Wednesday. The last five games Johnston has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Johnston heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Sunday. They fell just short of Lincoln by a score of 3-2. The Panthers' loss signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Haley Boudreau
| 05/31/26 @ Lincoln | 9 |
| 05/29/26 vs Portsmouth | 11 |
| 05/26/26 vs Ponaganset | 12 |
| 05/18/26 @ Lincoln | 16 |
| 05/12/26 vs Portsmouth | 14 |
| + 17 more games |
Haley Boudreau put in work no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over 6.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and one run.
In other batting news, Bella Boudreau made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one triple and two RBI. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season.
Meanwhile, Ponaganset faced Portsmouth in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Monday. The Chieftains were the clear victors by a 15-5 margin over the Patriots. The Chieftains might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by seven runs or more this season.
Mattea Mello spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up 11 Ks.
At the plate, Mia Duncan and Ella McKenney did most of the damage at the plate: Duncan got on base in all five of her plate appearances with four runs, three RBI, and one stolen base, while McKenney went 3-for-5 with one home run and six RBI. That's the most hits McKenney has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalia Scorpio, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
Ponaganset kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 8-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
The win was the third in a row for Ponaganset, bringing their record up to 12-14. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs over those games. As for Johnston, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Johnston has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 13.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Ponaganset struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Johnston skirted past Ponaganset 2-1 in their previous meeting on Tuesday. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
