The Bradford Railroaders will venture away from home to challenge the Ansonia Tigers at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Ansonia took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Bradford, who comes in off a win.
Bradford's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They put the hurt on Twin Valley South with a sharp 13-0 victory. The win continues a trend for the Railroaders in their matchups with the Panthers: they've now won six in a row.
Vivian Harlemen was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. Harlemen was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April.
Lexi Clark
| 05/08/25 @ Twin Valley South | 4 |
| 04/17/25 @ Franklin Monroe | 3 |
| 04/11/25 @ New Bremen | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Newton Local | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Tecumseh | 2 |
In other batting news, Lexi Clark was incredible, going 1-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Hayven Evans was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Bradford always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .655. They are 6-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Ansonia challenged Houston on Friday. The Tigers fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 5-4. The Tigers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Miley Walls spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five runs (all of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Kylie Caldwell and Jayda Mangen stepped up to the plate in a big way. Caldwell went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI, while Mangen went a perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI. Another player making a difference was Shyann McKenna, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run.
Bradford's record now sits at 9-13. As for Ansonia, they now have a losing record of 9-10.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bradford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .458. However, it's not like Ansonia struggles in that department as they've averaged .450. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bradford suffered a grim 10-1 defeat to Ansonia when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Railroaders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
