The Providence Athletic Club Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Heathwood Hall Episcopal Highlanders at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Providence Athletic Club has nine straight victories, Heathwood Hall Episcopal has ten straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Providence Athletic Club took a ten-run loss the last time they faced off against Hammond, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Panthers narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Skyhawks 5-3. The game was the first time the Panthers have beaten the Skyhawks on their field since April 16, 2015.
Atalie Gauntt was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 4.1 innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bridget Kean, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Ava Lastinger was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Heathwood Hall Episcopal didn't have quite enough to beat Hammond on Friday and fell 10-8.
Frances Laughlin led a balanced group of hitters, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Finley Buscher, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-4.
Providence Athletic Club's victory was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Heathwood Hall Episcopal, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-3.
Heathwood Hall Episcopal's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Providence Athletic Club hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .347. It's a different story for Heathwood Hall Episcopal, though, as they've only averaged .247. Will they be able to contain Providence Athletic Club's hitters? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
