The Geraldine Bulldogs will take on the Sylvania Rams in a tournament on Friday. Geraldine is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Geraldine had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 15-run drubbing they dealt Section on Thursday. The Bulldogs' pitcher stepped up to hand the Lions a 15-0 shutout. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight matches by six runs or more this season.
Shyla Thompson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Geraldine let Sophie Bearden and Kennedy Cook run wild. Bearden scored two runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances, while Cook scored two runs while going 1-for-2. That's the most runs Bearden has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Alice Jordan, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Sylvania entered their tilt with Fyffe on Thursday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They walked away with a 10-5 win over the Red Devils.
Like Geraldine, Sylvania also got a great game from a two-way player: Braelyn Hastings. She pitched six innings while giving up five earned runs off four hits. Hastings was even better at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Molly Weaver, who scored three runs while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Mallory Miles, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Geraldine has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for Sylvania, they picked up their first road win, bumping their record up to 8-14.
Sylvania's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Geraldine has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .470. It's a different story for Sylvania, though, as they've only averaged .355. Will they be able to contain Geraldine's hitters?
Geraldine might still be hurting after the 7-1 defeat they got from Sylvania in their previous meeting last Thursday. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
