The Jefferson Cougars will head out to challenge the Washington Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Jefferson had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 15-run drubbing they dealt Martinsburg on Thursday. The Cougars put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 16-1 win.
Caroline ABE looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits.
At the plate, Jefferson got a massive performance out of Chloe Cowan, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Ava Dorfner also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Jefferson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Martinsburg only posted an OBP of .091.
Meanwhile, Washington entered their tilt with Hedgesville on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They blew past the Eagles 10-3.
Chloe Constantino was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Carly Constantino, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Kalyn Dean, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs.
Jefferson is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-3 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Washington, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-3.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Jefferson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .457. However, it's not like Washington struggles in that department as they've averaged .494. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jefferson skirted past Washington 1-0 when the teams last played back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cougars since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
