The Central City Bison will challenge the Kearney Catholic Stars at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Central City barely beat Twin River the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bison blew past the Titans 16-5 on Friday. The win was familiar territory for the Bison, who have now won four games in a row.
Payton Burbach made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up five earned runs off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Addie Burbach
| 10/10/25 vs Twin River | 4 |
| 09/30/25 vs Highway 91 | 3 |
| 09/27/25 vs Southern/Diller-Odell | 3 |
| 09/20/25 vs Ord | 3 |
| 09/27/25 vs St. Paul | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Addie Burbach, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, four runs, and three RBI. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Emma Brandes, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Central City always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .585. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Twin River only posted an OBP of .360.
Meanwhile, Kearney Catholic got the win against Auburn on Saturday by a conclusive 16-2. The victory continues a trend for the Stars in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won three in a row.
Like Central City, Kearney Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Raegan Ruyle. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits. Ruyle was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, Tessa Colling was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Kynlee Ruyle was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs.
Central City's record now sits at 24-7. As for Kearney Catholic, their record is now 27-5.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Central City has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .460. However, it's not like Kearney Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .567. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Central City suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Kearney Catholic when the teams last played back in September. Can the Bison avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
