Johnston City is a perfect 3-0 against Crab Orchard since April of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Indians will take on the Trojans at 11:00 a.m. Johnston City is coming into the game hot, having won their last six games.
While Johnston City's win against Harrisburg wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Indians skirted past the Bulldogs 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Indians have posted against the Bulldogs since May 1, 2019.
Peyton Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on 11 hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
Peyton Smith
| 05/07/25 vs Harrisburg | 1 |
| 05/06/25 vs Zeigler-Royalton | 2 |
| 05/03/25 @ Flora | 2 |
| 05/03/25 vs Mater Dei | 3 |
| 05/01/25 @ Trico | 1 |
| + 8 more games |
On the hitting side, Johnston City let Peyton Smith and Makenzie Mowery run wild. Smith went 2-for-3 with three runs and one stolen base, while Mowery went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI. Smith has been hot for a while, having posted at least one stolen base the last 13 times she's played. Adrianna Wilkening also deserves some recognition as she got her first hits of the season.
Johnston City kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, while it was Crab Orchard who put the first runs on the board on Wednesday, it was Marion who put up more. The Trojans took a 5-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Wildcats.
Adri Ortega spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Addlyn Miller and Jada Burnett-Hatton did some serious damage despite the final result: Miller went 2-for-3 with two runs, while Burnett-Hatton went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Johnston City's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Crab Orchard, their defeat ended a seven-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 27-4.
Everything went Johnston City's way against Crab Orchard in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Johnston City made off with a 13-7 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Indians since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
