The Linden Lions will challenge the Bear River Bruins at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Linden is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Colfax a 16-0 shutout. 16 seems to be a good number for the Lions as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Cambel Dunn tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Olivia Fears, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and two stolen bases. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Katie Schallberger, who went 2-for-3 with two triples, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Bear River entered their tilt with Bret Harte on Wednesday with six consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with seven. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Bullfrogs.
AnaMarin Hemings was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. Hemings was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs.
In other batting news, Ella Bailey was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Ella Northup also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Bear River's victory bumped their record up to 16-8. As for Linden, their win bumped their record up to 18-6.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Linden hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .360. However, it's not like Bear River struggles in that department as they've averaged .343. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Linden got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 against Bear River by a conclusive 8-1 score. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Bruins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
