The Sherman Tide will head out on the road to take on the Nitro Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Sherman is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
On Thursday, Sherman came up short against Tug Valley and fell 4-1. The Tide have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Sherman saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carter Plantz, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Nitro, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They blew past Williamstown 19-4 on Friday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their one-run performance the match before.
McKenzie Hyatt was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched four innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Nitro let Ryleigh Click and Zoe Hyatt run wild. Click got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double, while Hyatt went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Those three RBI gave Hyatt a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Torrance Nutter, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Nitro was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .480. They are 7-3 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Nitro's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-14. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 9.7 runs. As for Sherman, their loss dropped their record down to 10-7.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sherman has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Nitro struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sherman couldn't quite get it done against Nitro when the teams last played back in May of 2021 as they fell 3-0. Can the Tide avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
