Softball Game Preview: Bay City Blackcats vs. Columbus Cardinals

The Bay City Blackcats will take on the Columbus Cardinals in a tournament on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.

Bay City had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Bandera on Friday. Everything went Bay City's way against Bandera as Bay City made off with an 11-2 win. The Blackcats' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Miley Salazar was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). What's more, she gave up only one walk, the fewest she's had over her last five matchups. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2. That's the most runs she has posted since back in February of 2024.

Meanwhile, Columbus made easy work of Orange Grove on Friday and carried off an 18-3 victory. The result was nothing new for the Cardinals, who have now won four contests by nine runs or more so far this season.

Columbus has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-3-1 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. The win (which was Bay City's third in a row) raised their record to 5-7.

Bay City suffered a grim 12-5 defeat to Columbus when the teams last played back in April of 2017. Can Bay City avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.