The Gridley Bulldogs will take on the Central Valley Falcons in a tournament on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Gridley took care of business in their home opener (and then some) last Monday. They never let Lindhurst get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory.
Kay Pruitt made a big impact no matter where she played. She kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Pruitt was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Gridley let Payton Burresch and Delanie Cloyd run wild. Burresch scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Cloyd scored two runs and stole Two bases. while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances. That's the most runs Burresch has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Val Poyner, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Gridley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Central Valley). They blew past Enterprise 29-4 on Tuesday. While the Falcons didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-12), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Joleen Short was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Short was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-6 with five RBI, three runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Bailyn Hollister was a standout: she got on base in five of her six plate appearances with three runs, four RBI, and one double. Jaycee Horst was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances.
Everything went Gridley's way against Central Valley when the teams last played back in March of 2022, as Gridley made off with a 17-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Gridley since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
