Galena is 2-8 against Bishop Manogue since April of 2023 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Grizzlies will head out to square off against the Miners at 3:45 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Thursday.
Having struggled with eight defeats in a row, Galena turned things around against Reno on Thursday. They never let the Huskies get on the board and left with a 16-0 win. The Grizzlies not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since April 3rd (when they won 17-0).
Ava Greene was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Greene was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Taylor Cunningham was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Jordan Gurney was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Galena always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Reno only posted an OBP of .200.
Meanwhile, Bishop Manogue came tearing into Tuesday's match with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Senators 10-0. That's two games straight that the Miners have won by exactly ten runs.
Like Galena, Bishop Manogue also got a great game from a two-way player: Sammi Boggs. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. Boggs has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other pitching news, Kaylee Sanchez looked comfortable as she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Sis King, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Loralei Hysell, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Bishop Manogue pushed their record up to 20-8-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Galena, their record now sits at 8-19-1.
Galena might still be hurting after the 11-0 loss they got from Bishop Manogue when the teams last played two weeks ago. Can the Grizzlies avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.