The North Pole Patriots will be playing in front of their home fans against the West Valley Wolf Pack at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. North Pole is coming into the matchup on a six-game losing streak.
North Pole is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Alaska's top teams: Lathrop, who was ranked 13th in their home state at the time (North Pole was ranked 14th). North Pole lost 13-1 to Lathrop on Thursday. The loss was just more heartbreak for North Pole, who fell 9-7 when the teams last met back in May of 2023.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for West Valley, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They blew past Hutchison 15-3. The win was a breath of fresh air for West Valley as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Abbey Anthony made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. Anthony was even better at the plate, scoring four runs and stealing six bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Kayla Anthony and Makayla Anderson did most of the damage at the plate: Anthony went 3-for-4 with six stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI, while Anderson scored two runs and stole six bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Ellie Poulsen was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-2.
North Pole's defeat dropped their record down to 5-15-1. As for West Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 6-4-1.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North Pole has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .452. However, it's not like West Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .527. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
North Pole skirted past West Valley 11-9 in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Will North Pole repeat their success, or does West Valley have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps