The Ryle Raiders will head out to face off against the Highlands Bluebirds at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Ryle is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Ryle is headed into the game having just suffered their closest defeat since March 28th on Tuesday. They fell just short of Lawrenceburg by a score of 15-13.
Ryle got a massive performance out of Kam Patterson, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Emily Gehring, who went 3-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Highlands never let their opponents score on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Walton-Verona as they made off with an 11-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Bluebirds, who have now won 14 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Kaitlyn Dixon made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Alli Meyers was a standout: she went 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Morgan Pompilio was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Highlands always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .552. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Walton-Verona only posted an OBP of .167.
Highlands' win was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 25-6-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Ryle, their loss dropped their record down to 15-6-1.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ryle hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .352. However, it's not like Highlands struggles in that department as they've averaged .381. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
