The Maple Mountain Golden Eagles will head out to take on the Brighton Bengals at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Maple Mountain was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Timpview on Thursday. Maple Mountain blew past Timpview 11-1. The Golden Eagles haven't had any issues with the Thunderbirds recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Carly Erickson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). That's the fewest hits she has allowed since back in April of 2024. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Maple Mountain let Gracie Jensen and Daphnee Pagano run wild. Jensen scored a run while going 3-for-3, while Pagano scored two runs while going 2-for-2. Taylee Robinson was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
Maple Mountain always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .519. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Timpview only posted an OBP of .200.
Meanwhile, Brighton got themselves on the board against Highland on Thursday, but Highland never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Rams with a sharp 16-0 victory.
Like Maple Mountain, Brighton also got a great game from a two-way player: Alison Nikolaus. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. Nikolaus was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Brighton got a massive performance out of Kate Gunn, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That home run was Gunn's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Peyten Bowers, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
Maple Mountain's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-2. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Brighton, the win got them back to even at 5-5.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Maple Mountain has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .491. However, it's not like Brighton struggles in that department as they've averaged .478. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Maple Mountain's way against Brighton in their previous matchup back in May of 2018, as Maple Mountain made off with a 12-2 victory. Will Maple Mountain repeat their success, or does Brighton has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
