The Millard North Mustangs are taking a road trip to face off against the Bellevue West Thunderbirds at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Millard North is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
While Millard North's win against Kearney wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Mustangs sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over the Bearcats on Monday. That's two games straight that the Mustangs have won by just one run.
Brandon Berge
| 04/07/25 vs Kearney | 1 |
| 03/31/25 @ Bellevue East | 0 |
| 03/21/25 vs Grand Island | 2 |
Brandon Berge made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other pitching news, Cam Johnson tossed a big game, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Ripken Fleck, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Alex Buresh also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Bellevue West faced Gretna East in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Monday. The Thunderbirds never let the Griffins get on the board and left with a 1-0 win.
Bellevue West also got a great performance from Joseph Hartin-Kovy as he didn't allow a single earned run over 6.1 innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Bellevue West saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Aiden Ensor, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Millard North pushed their record up to 9-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.5 runs across that stretch. As for Bellevue West, their record is now 8-2.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Millard North has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Bellevue West struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Millard North suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Bellevue West when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
