The Bethlehem Wildcats will head out to square off against the Geneva County Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
It was a proper cat-fight when Bethlehem faced off against Malone on Monday. The Wildcats were the clear victors by a 20-6 margin over the Tigers. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Wildcats.
Mackenzie Saporito made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Saporito was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Morgan Faircloth was a standout: she scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in five of her six plate appearances. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Ruby Bailey, who scored four runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all six of her plate appearances.
Bethlehem always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .700. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Geneva County never let their opponents score on Monday. They put the hurt on Poplar Springs with a sharp 16-0 win. The Bulldogs have beaten the Atomics the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Atomics has come to flipping the script.
Like Bethlehem, Geneva County also got a great game from a two-way player: Kaylee Watson. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Watson has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maci Strickland, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in February. Anna Anderson Cruz was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
Geneva County's record is now 13-9. As for Bethlehem, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Bethlehem has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Geneva County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Bethlehem's way against Geneva County in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, as Bethlehem made off with a 21-14 win. Do the Wildcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
