Softball Game Preview: Blanchester Wildcats vs. Bethel-Tate Tigers

Blanchester is preparing for their first conference matchup of the season on Monday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Blanchester Wildcats take on Bethel-Tate Tigers at 4:30 p.m. They are coming into the match on a four-game losing streak.

Blanchester is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Ohio's top teams: Mercy McAuley, who was ranked second at the time (Blanchester was ranked fourth). Blanchester fell just short of Mercy McAuley by a score of 9-8 on Friday.

Alayna Davenport was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Jocelyn Lansing, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Bethel-Tate, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over Whiteoak on Monday.

Maddy Harness made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Harness was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.

In other batting news, Ally Thompson was excellent, scoring two runs while going 4-for-4. Kenzie Gillen was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

Bethel-Tate kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Whiteoak only managed three hits.

Bethel-Tate's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for Blanchester, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.

Blanchester might still be hurting after the 12-1 loss they got from Bethel-Tate when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will Blanchester have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.