The Union Springs Wolves will venture away from home to challenge the Newark Valley Cardinals at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Union Springs has 11 straight wins, Newark Valley has nine straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Monday, Union Springs got the win against Tioga by a conclusive 14-1. Considering the Wolves have won ten matchups by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Gracie Chalupnicki was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one double.
Maddie Ward
| 04/28/25 vs Tioga | 3 |
| 04/25/25 @ Groton | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Moravia | 2 |
| 04/23/25 vs Groton | 1 |
| 04/21/25 vs Newfield | 1 |
In other batting news, Union Springs let Maddie Ward and Abbi Tracy run wild. Ward went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Tracy went 2-for-3 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. Those three hits gave Ward a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Taylor Bergerstock, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Union Springs hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Newark Valley scored the most runs they've had this season on Monday, but it wasn't enough. They lost 18-10 to Moravia. Even if the Cardinals couldn't come away with the victory, the high-scoring effort was a great turnaround for their hitters, which had struggled int the games prior.
Union Springs pushed their record up to 11-0 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.7 runs over those games. As for Newark Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 0-4.
Everything went Union Springs' way against Newark Valley in their previous matchup on April 4th, as Union Springs made off with a 23-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wolves since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
