Bloomfield is on a four-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Orleans is on an 11-game streak of away wins (also dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Cardinals will host the Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Bloomfield proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by eight) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 win over Cloverdale. While the Cardinals didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-14), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Bloomfield let Addison Lafree and Bella McIntosh run wild. Lafree went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double, while McIntosh went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two RBI. Those two stolen bases gave McIntosh a new career-high. Lailey Smith was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Orleans won against West Washington on Wednesday with five runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Friday. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out Brownstown Central 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bulldogs have posted since April 8th.
The team relied heavily on Cambree Cline, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Chelsea Ralph, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Orleans hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in four consecutive games.
Bloomfield has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 6-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.8 runs over those games. As for Orleans, their victory bumped their record up to 11-1.
Both Bloomfield and Orleans just can't seem to miss. The Cardinals have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9 hits per game. However, it's not like Orleans struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 3.9 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bloomfield couldn't quite finish off Orleans in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 4-2. Will the Cardinals have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
