The Southern Tornadoes will take on the Belpre Golden Eagles at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Southern is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.
While Southern's win against Ravenswood wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tornadoes had just enough and edged out the Red Devils 8-7 on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Tornadoes have posted since March 30, 2024.
Meanwhile, it was a Battle of the Birds when Belpre duked it out with Eastern on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles walked away with a 10-7 win over the Eagles. The Golden Eagles haven't had any issues with the Eagles recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Makayla Carmichael was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. She also launched a home run, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lucy Ruble, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4. She also put up a home run, which was her first of the season. Addy Stewart was another key player, scoring four runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4.
Belpre lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Southern's win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Belpre, their win bumped their record up to 3-1.
Everything went Southern's way against Belpre when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as Southern made off with an 11-1 victory. Will the Tornadoes repeat their success, or do the Golden Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
