vs
| 05/10/24 - Away | 6-4 W |
| 05/12/23 - Home | 7-6 W |
| 05/11/18 - Away | 18-7 W |
| 05/12/17 - Home | 4-0 W |
| 03/16/17 - Away | 12-1 W |
Mt. Zion is a perfect 5-0 against Meridian since March of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Braves will be playing in front of their home fans against the Hawks at 4:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Mt. Zion 4, Meridian 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Mt. Zion took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Williamsville with a sharp 15-5 victory. Considering the Braves have won 15 matchups by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Addy Rotz was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Ana Kanemaru, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs and two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Meridian came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 5-1 win over the Redskins.
Ashley Schelling spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Emma Childers was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run. Shelby Renfro was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Meridian's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 24-6. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for Mt. Zion, their victory bumped their record up to 19-9.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mt. Zion hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Meridian struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mt. Zion skirted past Meridian 6-4 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Braves repeat their success, or do the Hawks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
