The Medina Battling Bees will head out to face off against the Ellet Orangemen at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Medina proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by ten) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 14-13 victory over Jackson. The win was nothing new for the Battling Bees as they're now sitting on four straight.
Bella Case was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 5.2 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. Case was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted over her last 11 matches.
In other batting news, Medina got a massive performance out of Mya Harvey, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that Harvey has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Ryann Allar, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI.
Medina hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least two batters in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Ellet came tearing into Thursday's game with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15.4 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Blue Devils, sneaking past 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Orangemen have posted since April 29, 2024.
Rylie Sprouse spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Avery Simmons, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple. Grace Norman was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Ellet pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.2 runs on average over those games. As for Medina, their record now sits at 7-5.
Medina's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's match. The Battling Bees have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Ellet, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Medina continue to outrun the ball?
Medina was able to grind out a solid win over Ellet when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 14-9. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Battling Bees since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
