The Fitchburg Red Raiders will venture away from home to challenge the Ashland Clockers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Fitchburg will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Having struggled with six defeats in a row, Fitchburg turned things around against North Middlesex Regional on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 17-5 margin over the Patriots. The contest marked the Red Raiders' most dominant win of the season.
Lilly Peterson and Ina Soini made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Peterson tossed three innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. Meanwhile, Soini pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Peterson went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base, while Soini went 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Juliet Valentin, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Olivia Reynolds, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Fitchburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .583. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 15 runs the game before, Ashland was a bit more limited in their game on Wednesday. They came up short against Medway, falling 16-2. The Clockers haven't had much luck with the Mustangs recently, as the team has come up short the last six times they've met.
Neko Ustaris made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one home run.
Ashland's loss dropped their record down to 3-6. As for Fitchburg, their record now sits at 3-7.
Fitchburg's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Red Raiders have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Ashland, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Fitchburg continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Fitchburg's way against Ashland when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as Fitchburg made off with a 17-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Red Raiders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
