If Medford was riding high off their 15-8 takedown of Northland Pines last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Medford Raiders fell just short of the Merrill Bluejays by a score of 14-12 on Friday. Medford was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Merrill apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in May of 2023.
Zayleah Leonhardt was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Laney Hraby was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
On Merrill's side, Mady Graap was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Graap was also big at the plate, scoring a run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lexi Ollhoff, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, five RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Caina Orzech, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5.
Medford's loss dropped their record down to 11-8. As for Merrill, their victory ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-14.
Medford will square off against Fall Creek at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Fall Creek will roll in looking for their 21st straight win, something Medford surely won't give up without a fight. As for Merrill, they will look to defend their home field on Monday against Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln at 4:30 p.m.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
