Mulvane hasn't had much luck against Buhler recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Wildcats will host the Crusaders at 4:00 p.m. Mulvane's pitching crew has only allowed 2.2 runs per game this season, so Buhler's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Mulvane's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Thursday's struggle, when McPherson hitters got past them. The Wildcats came up short against the Bullpups on Thursday, falling 10-4.
Hays Ensley made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Buhler had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 14-4 margin over the Orioles. The result was nothing new for the Crusaders, who have now won five games by six runs or more so far this season.
Brayden Henry was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Henry was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Mitchel McDaniel was a standout: he got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run and four RBI. That home run marked the first that he has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Dylan Scripsick, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Buhler's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Mulvane, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 5-1 and their overall record down to 10-3-2.
Mulvane took their victory against Buhler when the teams last played back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 7-0 score. Will the Wildcats repeat their success, or do the Crusaders have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
