Eastern extended their losing streak to four on Wednesday, dropping their season record down to 14-9 in the process. They came up short against the Ballard Bruins, falling 11-1. The Eagles were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bruins apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in April of 2024.
As for Ballard, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-9 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games.
For Ballard's part, Shelby James made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. James has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Ballard got a massive performance out of Aubrie Newton, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Payton Downey was another key player, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run.
Looking ahead, Eastern will take on Great Crossing at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. As for Ballard, they will challenge Mercy at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The Bruins' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Jaguars have averaged an impressive 6.3 runs per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
