Dunmore is 1-9 against Old Forge since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Bucks will head out on the road to challenge the Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Dunmore barely beat Riverside the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bucks put the hurt on the Vikings with a sharp 15-2 win on Tuesday. The Bucks have beaten the Vikings the last six times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Vikings has come to flipping the script.
Rachel Walsh was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). Walsh was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Aubrey Mizenko and Emily McGowan did most of the damage at the plate: Mizenko went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI, while McGowan went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most hits McGowan has posted since back in March. Madison Day also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Dunmore always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .613. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Riverside only posted an OBP of .333.
Old Forge never got on the board in their matchup on Sunday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Honesdale on Monday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Hornets a 15-0 shutout. The contest marked the Blue Devils' most dominant victory of the season.
Old Forge let Joselyn DeStefano and Gwyn O'Hearn run wild. DeStefano got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs, while O'Hearn went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and one run. Lana Clements was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Dunmore's record is now 11-5. As for Old Forge, their record now sits at 11-4.
Old Forge's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Dunmore has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Old Forge, though, as they've been averaging only 3.5 strikeouts. Will Dunmore keep running through batters, or will the Blue Devils buck the trend?
Dunmore might still be hurting after the 10-3 defeat they got from Old Forge in their previous matchup back in April. Can the Bucks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
