The Emerson Mavericks will take on the Memorial Warriors at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Emerson is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Emerson is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Lebanon Trail just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Trail Blazers by a score of 6-5.
Amilee Stapp made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Memorial had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Knights as they made off with an 18-5 win. The Warriors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 contests by six runs or more this season.
Megan Wilson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Caiden Coleman, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Haven Parr was another key player, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Memorial always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Memorial's victory bumped their record up to 12-9. As for Emerson, their loss dropped their record down to 14-7.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Emerson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Memorial struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Emerson was able to grind out a solid win over Memorial in their previous matchup back in March, winning 6-3. Will the Mavericks repeat their success, or do the Warriors have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
