The Blissfield Royals will challenge the Hilltop Cadets at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Blissfield sitting on three straight victories and Hilltop on five.
While Blissfield's win against Madison wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Royals sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 victory over the Trojans on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Royals have posted since May 3, 2024.
Savannah Stalker
| 05/05/25 vs Madison | 5 |
| 04/29/25 @ Onsted | 11 |
| 04/03/25 vs Columbia Central | 7 |
Savannah Stalker made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up six earned runs off seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
Stalker wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Grace Strahan, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, Hilltop's rock-solid pitcher showed up for the team's fourth consecutive shutout on Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Pettisville a 4-0 shutout.
Like Blissfield, Hilltop also got a great game from a two-way player: Kelsy Connolly. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 16 over seven innings pitched. Those 16 strikeouts gave Connolly a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple and one RBI.
Hilltop pushed their record up to 18-3 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.0 runs on average over those games. As for Blissfield, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Blissfield has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hilltop struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
