The Brunswick Blue Devils will venture away from home to take on the Solon Comets at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Brunswick's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They blew past Shaker Heights 20-0. The Blue Devils haven't had any issues with the Red Raiders recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
The result came thanks to Gabby Diligente's shutout, as she gave up just three hits and racked up 15 Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Addison Compton, who went 4-for-6 with four runs, two triples, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Giovanna Diligente, who scored four runs while going 4-for-6.
Brunswick always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .520. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Shaker Heights only posted an OBP of .115.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Solon ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 win over Hudson. The Comets' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Kassidy Samuelraj and Grace Gerhard were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Samuelraj pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Meanwhile, Gerhard struck out 11 batters over five innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits (and only one walk). Those hits were Samuelraj's first of the season. At bat, Samuelraj scored a run while going 4-for-5, while Gerhard scored three runs and stole two bases while going 5-for-5. Those four hits gave Samuelraj a new career-high.
In other batting news, Ali Palsa was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 3-for-5. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Alyssa Gerome also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Brunswick now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Solon, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Brunswick hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .411. However, it's not like Solon struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Brunswick's way against Solon when the teams last played back in May of 2023, as Brunswick made off with a 15-2 win. Will the Blue Devils repeat their success, or do the Comets have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
