The Central City Bison will face off against the Fort Calhoun Pioneers at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Central City is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.7 runs per game this season.
Central City is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 15 runs on Saturday, they were much more limited against NEN on Saturday. They fell just short of NEN by a score of 3-2.
Payton Burbach was huge no matter where she played even without the win. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Burbach wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Deja Fothergill, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one run.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Monday as neither Fort Calhoun nor Yutan-Mead made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Pioneers came out on top in a nail-biter against the Patriots, sneaking past 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Pioneers have posted since August 23rd.
The team relied heavily on Emily Warfield, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since September 4th.
Fort Calhoun hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in nine consecutive contests.
Fort Calhoun has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Central City, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-5.
Central City's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Bison have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Fort Calhoun, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Central City continue to outrun the ball?
Central City suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Fort Calhoun in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. Will the Bison 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.
