Pine City is 0-10 against Aitkin since April of 2015 but things could change on Tuesday. The Dragons will square off against the Gobblers at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Pine City is headed into Tuesday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fifth straight game on Thursday. They came up short against Mora, falling 27-20. On the bright side, the 20- run performance marked the Dragons' highest-scoring contest to date.
Meanwhile, Aitkin strolled into their game on Thursday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They never let Crosby-Ironton get on the board and left with a 23-0 victory. That 23 run margin sets a new team best for the Gobblers this season.
Sienna Melz made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with two triples, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Haley Shereck was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. Shereck is also crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's snagged at least one every time she's taken the field this season. Maddy Burgstaler was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
Aitkin was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .656. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .394 or higher in three consecutive games.
Aitkin's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 4-0. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Pine City, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-5.
Pine City might still be hurting after the 17-6 loss they got from Aitkin in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Dragons avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
