The Merrill Bluejays will head out to face off against the Pacelli Cardinals at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Merrill has given up an average of 7.3 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Medford hit Merrill with a six-run third inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Bluejays lost 11-4 to the Raiders. The loss continues a trend for the Bluejays in their meetings with the Raiders: they've now lost four in a row.
Kendell Klug made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Pacelli entered their tilt with Wild Rose on Monday with four consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with five. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Wildcats a 10-0 shutout. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Cardinals considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Ella Tess was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Tess was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kaydyn Nelson was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Haylee Cisewski, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Merrill's defeat dropped their record down to 6-8. As for Pacelli, their record is now 9-3.
Merrill suffered a grim 6-0 defeat to Pacelli when the teams last played back in April of 2025. Can the Bluejays avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.