The Buckeye Bucks will head out to challenge the Normandy Invaders at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Buckeye's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last three games.
Buckeye gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They blew past Lakewood 12-2. Considering the Bucks have won 14 matches by more than eight runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Buckeye got a massive performance out of Sarah Michaels, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most hits Michaels has posted over her last 11 contests. Another player making a difference was Eleanor Shaw, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
Buckeye always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .533. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .512 or higher in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Normandy fell victim to Rocky River and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Pirates, falling 11-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Invaders have suffered against the Pirates since April 27, 2017.
Buckeye is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 12 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-3-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for Normandy, their defeat was their third straight at home, which dropped their record down to 3-9.
Normandy's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Buckeye has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .506. It's a different story for Normandy, though, as they've only averaged .331. Will they be able to contain Buckeye's hitters?
Everything went Buckeye's way against Normandy in their previous meeting back in April, as Buckeye made off with a 12-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bucks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.