The Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs will square off against the Big Walnut Golden Eagles at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Big Walnut will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Bloom-Carroll extended their winning streak to seven on Friday. The Bulldogs were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over Logan Elm. Bloom-Carroll's victory was all the more impressive since the Braves were averaging only 2.43 runs allowed on the season.
Maddi Walters
| 04/11/25 vs Logan Elm | 8 |
| 04/09/25 @ Liberty Union | 5 |
| 04/02/25 vs Circleville | 9 |
| 03/28/25 vs Newark Catholic | 8 |
| 03/25/25 vs Heath | 8 |
Maddi Walters spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Madelyn Gates was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one double. That double was her first of the season. Madi Grefe was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Gates wasn't the only one making solid contact: Bloom-Carroll kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Big Walnut hadn't done well against Westerville North recently (they were 1-6 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Golden Eagles put the hurt on the Warriors with a sharp 14-3 win. The game was the first time the Golden Eagles have beaten the Warriors on their field since April 21, 2017.
The team relied heavily on Madi Clever, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Kyra Holmes, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Bloom-Carroll pushed their record up to 7-0 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Big Walnut, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season.
Big Walnut's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Bloom-Carroll has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 12.9 hits per game. It's a different story for Big Walnut, though, as they've been averaging 9 hits. Given Bloom-Carroll's sizable advantage in that area, the Golden Eagles will need to find a way to close that gap. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
