The Wellsville Lions will challenge the Bloomfield Bombers at 5:45 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are still undefeated (Wellsville has 31 wins dating back to last season, while Bloomfield has five).
Bloomfield's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Friday: Wellsville hadn't allowed a single run the last six times they've hit the field. The Lions never let Cowanesque Valley get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory on Tuesday. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six games by eight runs or more this season.
Brynn Hallock made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. Hallock was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with three runs.
In other batting news, Ayla Faulkner was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Averee Palmatier, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run.
Wellsville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cowanesque Valley only posted an OBP of .067.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Bloomfield). Everything went their way against Wayne on Thursday as they made off with a 16-2 win. Fans of the Bombers have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Like Wellsville, Bloomfield also got a great game from a two-way player: Ashlyn Wright. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Wright has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Calla McCombs was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with four runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in May of 2024. Sawyer Gallup was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Wellsville pushed their record up to 8-0 with the victory, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. As for Bloomfield, their record now sits at 5-0.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Wellsville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .396. However, it's not like Bloomfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .410. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Wellsville came out on top in a nail-biter against Bloomfield in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, sneaking past 1-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
