The Waynedale Golden Bears will head out to challenge the Dalton Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Waynedale barely beat Rittman the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Golden Bears were the clear victors by a 14-6 margin over the Indians on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Golden Bears in their matchups with the Indians: they've now won eight in a row.
Madi Miller was a standout: she got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Carleigh Lynch, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Dalton's found some homefield redemption this week after a overtime loss to Wadsworth on Friday. The Bulldogs never let West Holmes get on the board and left with an 11-0 victory. Considering the Bulldogs' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Peyton Neiger looked comfortable as she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Dalton let Hannah Wenger and Arabella Wenger run wild. Hannah went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Arabella went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Skylar Fletcher, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Dalton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .481. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Holmes only posted a batting average of .000.
The win got Waynedale back to even at 12-12. As for Dalton, their record now sits at 18-10.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Waynedale hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .362. However, it's not like Dalton struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Waynedale was able to grind out a solid victory over Dalton in their previous matchup back in April, winning 11-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Golden Bears since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
