vs
| 04/25/24 - Away | 8-3 W |
| 05/02/23 - Home | 2-1 W |
| 04/08/21 - Home | 7-0 W |
| 04/11/19 - Away | 4-8 L |
| 05/28/18 - Home | 12-2 W |
| + 4 more games |
Ballard is 7-2 against DuPont Manual since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Bruins will host the Crimsons at 6:00 p.m. DuPont Manual took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Ballard, who comes in off a win.
Ballard was handed a eight-run loss in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Bryan Station, sneaking past 9-8. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bruins have posted since May 9, 2024.
The team relied heavily on Payton Downey, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-4. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Matilda Gorley was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Ballard lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, DuPont Manual has relied on a stalwart pitcher averaging 3.93 runs allowed per game, but that average took a hit on Thursday. They came up short against South Oldham, falling 10-2. The match marked the Crimsons' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Liv Kunkle spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and five unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Payton Russell was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Bailey Fetcher, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Ballard has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-9 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for DuPont Manual, their defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 11-4.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ballard hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .350. However, it's not like DuPont Manual struggles in that department as they've averaged .348. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ballard beat DuPont Manual 8-3 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Bruins repeat their success, or do the Crimsons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
