The North Star Cougars will head out to challenge the Bedford Bisons at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. North Star has now lost 11 straight, leaving the team hunting for their first win since April 14.
On Thursday, North Star came up short against Rockwood and fell 9-5.
Sydney Leasure and Morgan Snyder stepped up to the plate in a big way. Leasure went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while Snyder went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Kayley Brant was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Bedford, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They never let Bishop Carroll get on the board and left with a 15-0 win on Thursday. The Bisons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matchups by six runs or more this season.
Emily Pratt made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in two of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Bedford let Leah Nee and Sammi Shoemaker run wild. Nee went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and one run, while Shoemaker got on base in three of her four plate appearances with four runs and two stolen bases. Those two stolen bases gave Shoemaker a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Bailey Mickle, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs.
Bedford was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .389. They are 11-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Bedford's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-7. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for North Star, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-12.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. North Star hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Bedford struggles in that department as they've averaged .371. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
North Star suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Bedford in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
