The Hammond Skyhawks will head out to face off against the Providence Athletic Club Panthers at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hammond has given up an average of 7.5 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hammond is headed into the game having just suffered their biggest loss since March 4th on Tuesday. They lost 21-3 to Laurence Manning Academy. The Skyhawks haven't had much luck with the Swampcats recently, as the team has come up short the last seven times they've met.
Hammond saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ava Sapp, who scored a run while going 2-for-2.
Meanwhile, Providence Athletic Club had already won 11 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.1 runs) and they went ahead and made it 12 on Tuesday. They never let the War Eagles get on the board and left with an 18-0 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Atalie Gauntt made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Providence Athletic Club let Bridget Kean and Kenslee Wessinger run wild. Kean scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Wessinger scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Those two runs gave Wessinger a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Eden Rose Pound, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Providence Athletic Club always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wagener-Salley only posted an OBP of .000.
Providence Athletic Club's win was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-1. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.2 runs over those games. As for Hammond, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hammond has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Providence Athletic Club struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hammond couldn't quite finish off Providence Athletic Club in their previous matchup last Tuesday and fell 5-3. Can the Skyhawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
