The Palisade Bulldogs will challenge the Grand Junction Tigers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Palisade is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Palisade came up short against Rifle and fell 8-4. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly four runs.
Palisade saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was MacKenzie Gray, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Grand Junction came tearing into Tuesday's contest with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.9 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They beat the Wildcats by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 5-3.
Kloe Donahue spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Alexis Walpole was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Alysa Lorimor, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.
Grand Junction's victory bumped their record up to 17-4. As for Palisade, their loss was their third straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 13-9.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Palisade hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Grand Junction struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Palisade came up short against Grand Junction when the teams last played back in September, falling 6-3. Will the Bulldogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
