The Hart Pirates will head out to take on the Onekama Portagers at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Onekama will square off against a team with plenty of momentum: Hart extended their winning streak to three on Tuesday. The Pirates never let Hesperia get on the board and left with a 14-0 victory. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by seven runs or more this season.
Kelsey Copenhaver
| 04/22/25 @ Hesperia | 3 |
| 04/22/25 @ Hesperia | 4 |
| 04/17/25 vs Montague | 4 |
Kelsey Copenhaver made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Copenhaver was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in each of the last three games she's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Caydence Bateson, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Makenna Carrier, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one double.
Hart always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .548 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Onekama made easy work of Brethren on Tuesday and carried off a 12-3 win. The victory continues a trend for the Portagers in their matchups with the Bobcats: they've now won four in a row.
Like Hart, Onekama also got a great game from a two-way player: Hailey Hart. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits (and only one walk). Hart was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI.
In other batting news, Heather Zielinski was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases and four runs. Ava Mauntler also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Hart's record now sits at 6-3. As for Onekama, their record is now 3-1.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hart hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Onekama struggles in that department as they've averaged .357. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hart beat Onekama 12-9 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
