Blue Ridge is 3-0 against Delavan since April of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Blue Ridge Knights will look to defend their home field against the Delavan Panthers at 4:30 p.m. The last three games Blue Ridge has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Things were looking good for Blue Ridge after they put the first points on the board on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 7-6 to Paxton-Buckley-Loda, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior.
Ellie Schlieper spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and two unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Addison Roos was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 1-for-3. She is trending in the right direction, as she's improved her point production for three straight games. Another player making a difference was Cassie Zimmerman, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Delavan can now show off four landslide victories after their most recent matchup on Wednesday. They never let Manual onto the board and left with a 15-0 win. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Delavan considering their one-run performance the contest before.
Lainey Klokkenga made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Klokkenga was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nola Houston, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Addi Fisher was another key contributor, scoring two runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Blue Ridge has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-10 record this season. As for Delavan, their victory bumped their record up to 5-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Blue Ridge has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Delavan struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Blue Ridge was able to grind out a solid win over Delavan when the teams last played back in May of 2023, winning 6-2. Will Blue Ridge repeat their success, or does Delavan have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
