The Kingman/Norwich Eagles will challenge the Conway Springs Cardinals at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Conway Springs will be up against a hot Kingman/Norwich squad: the team just extended their winning streak to five. The Eagles put the hurt on Belle Plaine with a sharp 19-2 win on Thursday. The Eagles' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Haidyn Hartley made a big impact no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off four hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Kingman/Norwich let Ryan Schreiner and Parker Beam run wild. Schreiner scored three runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances, while Beam scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Beam also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Macie Brannan, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances.
Kingman/Norwich was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .421. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .310 or higher in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Conway Springs got the win against Douglass on Monday by a conclusive 12-1. The Cardinals have beaten the Bulldogs the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Bulldogs has come to flipping the script.
Macie Hartman spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on seven hits.
On the hitting side, Conway Springs got a massive performance out of Reece Johnson, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-3. The dominant performance also gave Johnson a new career-high in doubles (two). Lindsey Coleman was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Kingman/Norwich's victory bumped their record up to 6-1. As for Conway Springs, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Kingman/Norwich hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .390. However, it's not like Conway Springs struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Kingman/Norwich was able to grind out a solid win over Conway Springs when the teams last played two weeks ago, winning 7-3. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do the Cardinals have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
