The Molalla Indians will square off against the Gladstone Gladiators at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Molalla is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
While Molalla's win against Madras wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Indians sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over the White Buffaloes on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Indians have posted since March 24th.
Brenna Jackson made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
Kalea Lopes
| 04/24/25 vs Madras | 4 |
| 04/23/25 @ Madras | 3 |
| 04/14/25 vs Estacada | 2 |
| 03/24/25 vs Liberty | 2 |
| 04/21/25 @ Crook County | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kalea Lopes, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Madison Shultz, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one RBI.
Molalla was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .419. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Gladstone fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against The Dalles on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Riverhawks by a score of 2-1. The Gladiators' loss signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Ashlynne Franssen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up 14 Ks.
The victory got Molalla back to even at 7-7. As for Gladstone, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 5-1 and their overall record down to 7-7.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Molalla has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. However, it's not like Gladstone struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 3.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
