Softball Game Preview: Orleans Bulldogs vs. Bedford North Lawrence Stars

The Orleans Bulldogs will square off against the Bedford North Lawrence Stars at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Orleans' pitching crew has only allowed 2.6 runs per game this season, so Bedford North Lawrence's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Orleans managed to slip by Borden the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Bulldogs came up short against the Braves on Thursday, falling 12-2. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Bulldogs, who until this matchup were averaging 2.62 runs allowed.

Adrian Abel was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That triple was her first of the season.

Meanwhile, Bedford North Lawrence earned a 6-1 win over Columbus East on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Stars in their matchups with the Olympians: they've now won eight in a row.

The team relied heavily on Kendall Graves, who fired off two home runs and three runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in May of 2024. Ava Ratliff was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

Bedford North Lawrence pushed their record up to 13-7 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Orleans, with the defeat, they broke their four-game winning streak and moved their record to 11-2.

Bedford North Lawrence's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Monday. Orleans has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Bedford North Lawrence, though, as they've been averaging only 3.6 strikeouts. Will Orleans keep running through batters, or will the Stars buck the trend? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.