Laurel Highlands hasn't had much luck against Elizabeth Forward recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Mustangs will head out to challenge the Warriors at 4:15 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Laurel Highlands came out on top against Oakland Catholic on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run first inning. The Mustangs never let Oakland Catholic get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory. Ten seems to be a good number for the Mustangs as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Payton Senge
| 04/17/25 @ Oakland Catholic | 12 |
| 04/16/25 vs Ringgold | 4 |
| 04/14/25 vs Uniontown | 11 |
| 04/11/25 @ West Mifflin | 4 |
| 04/09/25 vs Belle Vernon | 13 |
Not much got past Payton Senge, who gave up just a hit and racked up 12 Ks to keep Oakland Catholic off the board. With that strong performance, Senge is now averaging an impressive 5.5 strikeouts per game.
On the hitting side, Laurel Highlands let Kayla Howell and Aubrey Speelman run wild. Howell went a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one double, while Speelman went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Those three hits gave Howell a new career-high. Liv McClelland was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Laurel Highlands hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Forward entered their tilt with Oakland Catholic on Monday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They blew past Oakland Catholic 17-6. The Warriors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by eight runs or more this season.
Elizabeth Forward got a massive performance out of Aubri Cimba, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Addy Nigut also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Elizabeth Forward pushed their record up to 8-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Laurel Highlands, their record now sits at 5-6.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Laurel Highlands hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .340. However, it's not like Elizabeth Forward struggles in that department as they've averaged .418. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Laurel Highlands suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Elizabeth Forward in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
