Ira hasn't had much luck against Hermleigh recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Bulldogs will challenge the Cardinals at 6:00 p.m.
Westbrook hit Ira with a four-run first inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Bulldogs fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 9-8. Surprisingly, this marked the Bulldogs' third straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Ira got a massive performance out of Edith Cabrera, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Kelcee Kemp, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Meanwhile, Hermleigh came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with 16 straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.2 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Bearcats a 10-0 shutout. That's two games straight that the Cardinals have won by exactly ten runs.
Peyton Miller made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs.
In other batting news, Dejah Richardson was excellent, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one stolen base and one run. Kolbie Campbell was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run.
Hermleigh always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .515. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hawley only posted an OBP of .238.
Hermleigh pushed their record up to 17-1 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.9 runs over those games. As for Ira, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-6.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ira hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .386. However, it's not like Hermleigh struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ira might still be hurting after the 12-0 loss they got from Hermleigh in their previous matchup back in April of 2022. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
