The De Kalb Bears will take on the Atlanta Rabbits at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. De Kalb's pitching crew has only allowed 2.1 runs per game this season, so Atlanta's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
De Kalb took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They never let Liberty-Eylau get on the board and left with a 20-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Bears, who have now won 14 games by six runs or more so far this season.
De Kalb got a massive performance out of Kaitlin Parks, who scored three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Hayden Mullins, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Meanwhile, Atlanta waltzed into their match on Monday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 9-8 W against the Dragons. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Rabbits have posted since February 22nd.
Gabby Arredondo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and five unearned) runs on nine hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Carlajah Adger, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Anna Davis, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
De Kalb pushed their record up to 19-4 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.9 runs on average over those games. As for Atlanta, their win bumped their record up to 14-7-1.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. De Kalb has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .492. However, it's not like Atlanta struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
De Kalb took their victory against Atlanta in their previous meeting back in March by a conclusive 16-1. Will De Kalb repeat their success, or does Atlanta has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
