The Spring Valley Cardinals will venture away from home to take on the Colfax Vikings at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Spring Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.
Spring Valley will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Mondovi on Tuesday. The Cardinals walked away with a 12-8 win over the Buffaloes.
Spring Valley got a massive performance out of Elin Esanbock, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Kate Cipriano, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Colfax came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Warriors get on the board and left with a 16-0 victory. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by ten runs or more this season.
Laikyn Beyer made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Lyric Nichols was a standout: she got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Alleah Kunsman, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Colfax was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .692. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .312 or higher in four consecutive contests.
Spring Valley's record now sits at 8-4. As for Colfax, their record is now 11-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Spring Valley has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Colfax struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Spring Valley suffered a grim 14-0 defeat to Colfax in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Cardinals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
