The Opp Bobcats will be staying on the road on Thursday to face off against the Excel Panthers at 9:00 a.m. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Opp is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Thomasville with a sharp 9-2 victory. Opp might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won 26 contests by six runs or more this season.
Reese Cauley made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits (and only one walk). Cauley has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive pitching appearances. Cauley was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, a triple, and a double.
In other batting news, Jaidyn Ivey was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4. Another player making a difference was Rylie Kate Thrash, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI.
Cottage Hill Christian Academy typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Excel proved too difficult a challenge. They skirted past the Warriors 4-2. The win made it back-to-back victories for Excel.
Avery Duke spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on one hit and racked up 13 Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Brooklyn Barlow, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Opp is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten matches, which provided a nice bump to their 38-6-1 record this season. As for Excel, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 16-15.
Opp skirted past Excel 5-3 in their previous matchup back in May of 2019. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Excel's Breanna Barlow, who tossed seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Now that she won't be playing on Thursday, will it be that much easier for Opp to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
