The Marcellus Mustangs are taking a road trip to square off against the Chittenango Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Marcellus will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Christian Brothers Academy on Monday. The Mustangs put the hurt on the Brothers with a sharp 12-5 win. Considering the Mustangs' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Carly Sears spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits.
On the hitting side, Maddy Richer was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2025. Mia Colon was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
Marcellus was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, while Chittenango put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Christian Brothers Academy. The Bears blew past the Brothers 13-0. The victory continues a trend for the Bears in their matchups with the Brothers: they've now won six in a row.
Lauren Machan made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alivia Cavotta, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Danica Oppenheimer, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Marcellus now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Chittenango, their record now sits at 13-4.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Marcellus hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Chittenango struggles in that department as they've averaged .398. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Marcellus suffered a grim 14-1 defeat to Chittenango in their previous meeting back in April. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
