The Berrien Springs Shamrocks will challenge the Bangor Vikings at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Berrien Springs is coming into the contest on a five-game losing streak.
Berrien Springs fell victim to Buchanan and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Bucks, falling 15-0.
Meanwhile, Bangor hadn't done well against Gobles recently (they were 0-3 in their previous three matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Vikings walked away with a 7-2 victory over the Tigers.
Isabelle Horvath made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 19 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted over her last ten matchups.
In other batting news, Alexis Wisniewski was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted over her last ten games. Carley McCoy was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Bangor has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 20-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.6 runs over those games. As for Berrien Springs, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-14.
Saturday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Berrien Springs has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .495. However, it's not like Bangor struggles in that department as they've averaged .494. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Berrien Springs' way against Bangor in their previous meeting back in May of 2022, as Berrien Springs made off with a 13-2 victory. Will the Shamrocks repeat their success, or do the Vikings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
