The Battle Ground Academy Wildcats will face off against the Brentwood Bruins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Battle Ground Academy was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Franklin Road Academy on Thursday. Battle Ground Academy put the hurt on Franklin Road Academy with a sharp 13-2 victory. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Panthers: they've now won nine in a row.
Leelee Fernandez made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. Fernandez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. That run marked the first that she scored this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lauren Atkins, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with five stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game. Ellery Baisden was another key player, scoring three runs while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Brentwood waltzed into their matchup on Thursday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victors by a 12-6 margin over the Cougars. The Bruins' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Battle Ground Academy, Brentwood also got a great game from a two-way player: Marina Mason. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). Mason has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Sloan Day and Jessa Mason did most of the damage at the plate: Day went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Jessa went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Those two runs gave Mason a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Avery Mason, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4.
Brentwood was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .484. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Brentwood pushed their record up to 7-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Battle Ground Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 5-6.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Battle Ground Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Brentwood struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Battle Ground Academy skirted past Brentwood 4-3 in their previous matchup back in March of 2017. Does Battle Ground Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will Brentwood turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
