The McBain Ramblers will take on the Pine River Area Bucks at 4:15 p.m. on Monday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: McBain has struggled recently with three losses in a row, while Pine River Area will arrive with 11 straight victories.
Evart hit McBain with a eight-run fourth inning on Friday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Ramblers came up short against the Wildcats, falling 14-1.
McBain saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Olivia Peterson, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Pine River Area never let their opponents score on Friday. They put the hurt on Manton with a sharp 18-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Bucks, who have now won 14 matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Kylee Mumby was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Brook Dempkey looked comfortable as she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, she posted two strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Lilly Felsk, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. Mary Nichols was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three runs and one RBI.
Pine River Area's victory was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 20-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games. As for McBain, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-9.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. McBain has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Pine River Area struggles in that department as they've averaged .511. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McBain suffered a grim 16-0 defeat to Pine River Area in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Ramblers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
