Middleton is 2-8 against Bishop Kelly since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Vikings will be playing at home against the Knights at 7:00 p.m. The last three games Middleton has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Middleton's victory against Emmett wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Vikings had just enough and edged out the Huskies 5-4 on Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Huskies: they've now won three in a row.
Libby Garcia tossed a big game, striking out 13 batters over 6.1 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kenadi Whitlow, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Natalie Miklancic, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one home run.
Meanwhile, Bishop Kelly got the win against Emmett on Tuesday by a conclusive 11-2. The Knights might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matches by six runs or more this season.
Lauren Fettic made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Olivia Watt was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances. Jaynie Burke was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Bishop Kelly kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Middleton's victory was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.1 runs on average over those games. As for Bishop Kelly, their victory bumped their record up to 9-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Middleton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Bishop Kelly struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Middleton suffered a grim 19-13 defeat to Bishop Kelly in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can the Vikings avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
