The Columbus Grove Bulldogs are taking a road trip to challenge the Liberty-Benton Eagles at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Having struggled with nine losses in a row, Columbus Grove turned things around against Kalida on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Wildcats. Considering the Bulldogs' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Dakota Dunn
| 04/29/25 vs Kalida | 5 |
| 04/28/25 vs Lincolnview | 1 |
| 04/23/25 @ Miller City | 2 |
| 04/21/25 vs Crestview | 2 |
| 04/17/25 @ Ada | 4 |
| + 5 more games |
Dakota Dunn made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Zoey Patchet, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Erianne Heffner also deserves some recognition as she scored her first runs of the season.
Meanwhile, Liberty-Benton entered their tilt with Van Buren on Wednesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They didn't even let the Black Knights on the board, marking their second-straight 10-0 shutout. Considering the Eagles have won ten games by more than eight runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Hayden Gillig was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Kylie Modd was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Liberty-Benton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in seven consecutive matches.
Liberty-Benton's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-4. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.9 runs on average over those games. As for Columbus Grove, their record now sits at 3-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Columbus Grove has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Liberty-Benton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
