Madeira is 1-9 against Reading since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Mustangs and Amazons will welcome the Blue Devils at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Thursday, Madeira made easy work of Northwest and carried off a 14-4 victory.
Isla Muroski made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Muroski was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
In other batting news, Madeira got a massive performance out of Peyton Mercer, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Aliyah Martin was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Madeira always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .657. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last game, Reading made sure to put some runs up on the board against Deer Park on Wednesday. The Blue Devils blew past the Wildcats 12-4. The Blue Devils haven't had any issues with the Wildcats recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive win against them.
Like Madeira, Reading also got a great game from a two-way player: Lillie Riedmiller. She struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. Riedmiller was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maddie Berry, who went 3-for-4 with five RBI, one run, and one double. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Avery Bailey, who got on base in two of her three plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Madeira's victory bumped their record up to 4-6. As for Reading, their win bumped their record up to 7-5.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Madeira has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .509. However, it's not like Reading struggles in that department as they've averaged .521. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Madeira suffered a grim 18-2 defeat to Reading in their previous matchup on April 8th. Will the Mustangs and Amazons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
