The Burney Raiders will square off against the Etna Lions at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Burney is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Chester with a sharp 12-2 victory. Considering the Raiders have won 11 matchups by more than nine runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Alexis Witzel spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on seven hits.
On the hitting side, Aaliyah Perez was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Joselyn Peckham, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Etna had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 17-6 margin over the Grizzlies. Considering the Lions' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Etna got a massive performance out of Kami Hyatt, who went 2-for-4 with five stolen bases, four runs, and one double. Hyatt has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Julianna Case was another key player, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-4.
Etna lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
The win got Etna back to even at 14-14. As for Burney, their record is now 18-8-2.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Burney hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Etna struggles in that department as they've averaged .369. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Burney skirted past Etna 5-4 when the teams last played back in May of 2025. Will the Raiders repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
