The Sharpsville Blue Devils will head out on the road to square off against the Harbor Creek Huskies at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Harbor Creek will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Sharpsville extended their winning streak to three on Tuesday. The Blue Devils blew past West Middlesex 12-1.
Sharpsville let Emma Brest and Lily Palko run wild. Brest went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base, while Palko went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most hits Brest has posted since back in May of 2024. Miah Applegarth also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Sharpsville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Middlesex only posted an OBP of .368.
Fort LeBoeuf typically has all the answers at home, but on Tuesday Harbor Creek proved too difficult a challenge. They put the hurt on the Bison with a sharp 14-2 win. The victory was familiar territory for the Huskies, who have now won 11 matches in a row.
Addison Lucas was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run and four RBI.
In other batting news, Brooklynn Cipalla was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played. Another player making a difference was Kaitlin Hiltabidel, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
Harbor Creek's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Sharpsville, their record now sits at 11-6.
Both Sharpsville and Harbor Creek just can't seem to miss. The Blue Devils have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Harbor Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sharpsville skirted past Harbor Creek 1-0 in their previous matchup back in May of 2016. Do the Blue Devils have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Huskies turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
