The Big Walnut Golden Eagles will head out to square off against the Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Big Walnut sitting on three straight victories and Bloom-Carroll on seven.
Big Walnut made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Westerville North, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Golden Eagles were the clear victors by a 14-3 margin over the Warriors on Thursday. The game was the first time the Golden Eagles have beaten the Warriors on their field since April 21, 2017.
The team relied heavily on Madi Clever, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Kyra Holmes, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Big Walnut always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .647. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Bloom-Carroll faced Logan Elm in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Bulldogs blew past the Braves 10-1. Considering the Bulldogs have won five contests by more than eight runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Maddi Walters spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Bloom-Carroll got a massive performance out of Madelyn Gates, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one double. That double was Gates' first of the season. Madi Grefe was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Bloom-Carroll pushed their record up to 7-0 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Big Walnut, their record now sits at 5-3.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Big Walnut hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .373. However, it's not like Bloom-Carroll struggles in that department as they've averaged .450. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
