The Sparta Trojans will head out to face off against the Ava Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Sparta fell victim to Norwood and their airtight pitching crew on Monday. They came up short against the Pirates, falling 6-0. The game marked the first time this season in which the Trojans were not able to get on the board.
Addie Humble spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on seven hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, Ava waltzed into their contest on Monday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. Everything went their way against the Tigers as they made off with a 9-2 win. Considering the Bears have won 15 matches by more than six runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Hunter Strunk was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Strunk was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hannah Forrest, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most hits she has posted over her last eight games. Matilynn Goss was another key player, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Ava always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Salem only posted an OBP of .333.
Ava pushed their record up to 18-4 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Sparta, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 9-12 record this season.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sparta hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Ava struggles in that department as they've averaged .373. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sparta skirted past Ava 7-5 in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Will the Trojans repeat their success, or do the Bears have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
