The North Star Cougars will face off against the Blacklick Valley Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
North Star lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Shade, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's contest. The Cougars were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Panthers on Thursday. The game was the first time the Cougars have beaten the Panthers on their field since May 14, 2018.
Alisha Yoder made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Yoder was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three runs and two doubles.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Morgan Snyder, who went 2-for-3 with two triples, five RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2025. Emma Grigg was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
North Star always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Shade only posted an OBP of .200.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Blacklick Valley, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They put the hurt on Ferndale with a sharp 11-1 win on Thursday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Vikings needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
Like North Star, Blacklick Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Paige Kelley. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. Kelley was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, three doubles, and two RBI. Those hits marked the first that she has got this season.
In other batting news, Lauren Rohrabaugh was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one triple. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Zoey Richards, who went 1-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
North Star now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Blacklick Valley, the victory got them back to even at 2-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. North Star has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Blacklick Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
North Star got the 'W' when the teams last played back in April of 2025 against Blacklick Valley by a conclusive 25-7 score. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Vikings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
