Highland hasn't had much luck against Hamilton recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. Highland will welcome Hamilton at 11:00 a.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hamilton will be up against a hot Highland squad: the team just extended their winning streak to eight. Everything went Highland's way against Williams Field on Thursday as Highland made off with a 19-4 win.
Ryder Wilmarth looked comfortable as she struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Those seven strikeouts gave her a new career-high.
Maggie Mullarkey
| 03/27/25 @ Williams Field | 5 |
| 02/27/25 @ Corona del Sol | 3 |
| 03/25/25 vs Williams Field | 1 |
| 03/21/25 @ Mesa | 1 |
| 03/19/25 @ Chandler | 1 |
On the hitting side, Highland let Maggie Mullarkey and MadiLynn Bowen run wild. Mullarkey went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and five RBI, while Bowen scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Those five RBI gave Mullarkey a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Abbie Shellabarger, who scored three runs while going 1-for-4.
Highland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .524. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last game, Hamilton made sure to put some runs up on the board against Pinnacle on Friday. Hamilton put the hurt on Pinnacle with a sharp 10-2 victory. The Huskies haven't had any issues with the Pioneers recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Liliana Russo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Amirah Lenon, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Viviana Camacho was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
Highland's victory was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-6. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Hamilton, their victory bumped their record up to 12-5-1.
Highland's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's contest. Highland has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Hamilton, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Highland continue to outrun the ball?
Highland came up short against Hamilton when the teams last played back in April of 2023, falling 6-1. Will Highland have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
