Toll Gate hasn't had much luck against Pilgrim recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Titans will welcome the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Toll Gate comes in on three and Pilgrim on four.
Toll Gate proved they can win big on Friday (they won by 15) and on Wednesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They came out on top in a nail-biter against South Kingstown, sneaking past 4-3.
Reagan Motta made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Motta was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Abbi O'Connor was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double. Liv Cota was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Pilgrim sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 9-8 win over Moses Brown on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Patriots have posted against the Quakers since May 7, 2021.
Like Toll Gate, Pilgrim also got a great game from a two-way player: Gretchen Dombeck. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and three unearned) runs off 12 hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts Dombeck has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Skylar Hawes, who fired off two home runs and three runs while going 3-for-4. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Madison Tuirok, who scored four runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4.
Pilgrim lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Pilgrim's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Toll Gate, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Toll Gate hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .322. However, it's not like Pilgrim struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Toll Gate suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Pilgrim in their previous meeting back in April of 2019. Will the Titans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
