Potomac Falls hasn't had much luck against Riverside recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Ram at 6:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Potomac Falls took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Park View an 11-0 shutout. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Patriots recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Potomac Falls let Emma Barker and Hayley Kowalski run wild. Barker went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Kowalski went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most RBI Barker has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Zariah Ricks, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run.
Potomac Falls always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .913. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Riverside). They blew past Dominion 19-0 on Wednesday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Ram with their most commanding win of the season.
Brooklyn Oliviero made a splash no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Oliviero was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
In other pitching news, Kaylee Kadans looked comfortable as she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Christina Franco and Lauren Enright did most of the damage at the plate: Franco went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI, while Enright went a perfect 3-for-3 with three doubles, two runs, and two RBI. Audrie Merced was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Riverside pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Potomac Falls, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Potomac Falls hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Riverside struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Potomac Falls might still be hurting after the 24-1 defeat they got from Riverside when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Panthers 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.
