The Shepherd Bluejays are taking a road trip to face off against the Beaverton Beavers at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Shepherd is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Shepherd lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Pinconning, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Tuesday's contest. The Bluejays were the clear victors by a 15-5 margin over the Spartans on Tuesday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Bluejays considering their one-run performance the matchup before.
Leela Engelhardt and Elise McDonald did most of the damage at the plate: Engelhardt went 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles, while McDonald got on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Morgan Bloniarczyk was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Shepherd kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pinconning only managed eight hits.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Beaverton). They came out on top in a nail-biter against Gladwin on Tuesday, sneaking past 13-12. Considering the Beavers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
The team relied heavily on Shelby Samuel, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those RBI were her first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryar Pollard, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Beaverton's win was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 2-3. As for Shepherd, the victory got them back to even at 5-5.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Shepherd hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like Beaverton struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Shepherd took their win against Beaverton in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 12-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bluejays since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
