The Marion Bulldogs will head out on the road to take on the Nixon-Smiley Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Marion knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with flashy run totals in its past five contests -- so hopefully Nixon-Smiley likes a good challenge.
In what's become a running theme this season, Marion gave their fans yet another huge win on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Randolph with a sharp 21-5 victory.
Kira Jones made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing six innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off eight hits. Jones has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in three consecutive pitching appearances. Jones was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Marion got a massive performance out of Gianna Ricarte, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her six plate appearances. Cambry Dojahn was another key contributor, going 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs.
Meanwhile, Nixon-Smiley had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.5 runs), and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 15-4 margin over the Ro-Hawks.
Like Marion, Nixon-Smiley also got a great game from a two-way player: Kendall Amaya. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). Amaya was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Nichole Ivey was a standout: she went 1-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Emily Granados, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Marion has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 13-9 record this season. As for Nixon-Smiley, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-14.
Everything went Marion's way against Nixon-Smiley when the teams last played back in March as Marion made off with an 18-8 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Marion since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
