The West Shamokin Wolves will face off against the Conemaugh Valley Blue Jays at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as West Shamokin comes in on three and Conemaugh Valley on seven.
On Saturday, West Shamokin needed a bit of extra time to put away Marion Center. They had just enough and edged out the Stingers 6-5. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
West Shamokin let Malena Stewart and Cameron Vandervort run wild. Stewart went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Vandervort went 3-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Zoe Bennett, who went 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
West Shamokin hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in seven consecutive games.
Conemaugh Valley came out on top against Northern Cambria on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fourth inning. The Blue Jays put the hurt on the Colts with a sharp 12-2 win. Considering the Blue Jays have won eight matchups by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Katie Ledwich and Kylee Ferguson did most of the damage at the plate: Ledwich went 2-for-4 with one home run and four RBI, while Ferguson went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Megan Bilak was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run.
West Shamokin pushed their record up to 16-4 with the victory, which was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Conemaugh Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 15-5.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. West Shamokin has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Conemaugh Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .465. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
West Shamokin took their win against Conemaugh Valley in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 18-7 score. Do the Wolves have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Blue Jays turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
