Mansfield Christian had lost eight straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Monday they dropped their record down to 1-9 to make it nine. They fell just short of the Crestline Bulldogs by a score of 8-7. The Flames were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bulldogs apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in April of 2024.
Bailee Nelson
| 04/21/25 @ Crestline | 13 |
| 04/15/25 @ Lucas | 6 |
| 04/12/25 @ Mt. Gilead | 11 |
| 04/03/25 @ Vanlue | 10 |
Bailee Nelson put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 13 batters over six innings while giving up five earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Haley Shade was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run. That run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Kaci Pollard, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
As for Crestline, the win was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 3-6. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.3 runs over those games.
Like Mansfield Christian, Crestline also got a great game from a two-way player: Addisyn Lavene. She struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Lavene was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brooklynne Sargent, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Izzy Sefcek was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run.
Looking ahead, Mansfield Christian is taking a road trip to face off against Buckeye Central at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Bucks' pitching crew has only allowed 2.2 runs per game this season, so the Flames' hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Crestline, they will challenge Mansfield Senior at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are facing the Tygers at the right time seeing as the Tygers are stuck on a four-game losing streak.
