The Marlington Dukes will head out on the road to square off against the Lakeview Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Marlington is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 10-2 margin over Springfield. Winning may never get old, but the Dukes sure are getting used to it with their seventh in a row.
Justine Doringo
| 05/20/25 @ Springfield | 9 |
| 05/14/25 @ Hubbard | 12 |
| 05/08/25 @ Alliance | 6 |
| 05/07/25 vs Minerva | 6 |
| 05/06/25 vs Salem | 10 |
Justine Doringo made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Chelsea Miller was incredible, going 3-for-5 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Maddie Bailey was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double.
Marlington kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Lakeview made easy work of Crestwood on Tuesday and carried off an 11-1 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bulldogs.
Ava Bacon spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up 12 Ks.
On the hitting side, Lakeview let Kalyssa Werner and Kennedy Bartlett run wild. Werner went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Bartlett went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That triple marked the first that Werner has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Rylee Barnot, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Marlington's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-5. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Lakeview, their record now sits at 19-4.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Marlington hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Lakeview struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Marlington beat Lakeview 10-5 when the teams last played back in April. Do the Dukes have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
