Bellevue East hasn't had much luck against Millard West recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Chieftains will square off against the Wildcats at 9:00 a.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Bellevue East 2.3, Millard West 2.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Bellevue East heads in on the heels of a playoff game on Wednesday. They fell just short of Lincoln Southwest by a score of 2-1.
Haley Cheshier made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Millard West faced Omaha Westside in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Wednesday. The Wildcats fell just short of the Warriors by a score of 9-8.
Addison Burdorf put in work no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 14 batters over eight innings while giving up five earned (and three unearned) runs off 12 hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Tiffany Frey was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. Olivia Wenz was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
Millard West's loss dropped their record down to 26-8. As for Bellevue East, their defeat dropped their record down to 24-10.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Bellevue East hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .316. However, it's not like Millard West struggles in that department as they've averaged .325. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bellevue East came out on top in a nail-biter against Millard West in their previous matchup back in September, sneaking past 3-1. Will the Chieftains repeat their success, or do the Wildcats have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
