The Lakeview Bulldogs will square off against the Marlington Dukes at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Lakeview is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past Crestwood 11-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Bulldogs.
Ava Bacon
| 05/20/25 vs Crestwood | 12 |
| 05/15/25 @ Poland Seminary | 6 |
| 05/14/25 vs Austintown-Fitch | 6 |
Ava Bacon spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Kalyssa Werner and Kennedy Bartlett did most of the damage at the plate: Werner went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Bartlett went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Bartlett is on a roll when it comes to hits, as she's now got three or more in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Rylee Barnot, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lakeview kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Marlington came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Spartans as they made off with a 10-2 win.
Justine Doringo made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. Doringo was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chelsea Miller, who went 3-for-5 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Maddie Bailey was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double.
Marlington's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-5. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Lakeview, their victory bumped their record up to 19-4.
Both Lakeview and Marlington just can't seem to miss. The Bulldogs have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Marlington struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.6 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lakeview couldn't quite get it done against Marlington in their previous matchup back in April as they fell 10-5. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
