Orleans proved they can win big last Monday (they won by seven) but on Thursday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over the Bloomington North Cougars.
Izzie Rutherford was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Rutherford has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in ten consecutive pitching appearances. Rutherford was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Ava Cooper was excellent, going 2-for-2 with a stolen base, two RBI, and a double.
Orleans is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season. As for Bloomington North, they have been struggling recently as they've lost nine of their last ten games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-17 record this season.
Orleans will be playing in front of their home fans against Springs Valley at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Orleans' pitching crew has only allowed 3.7 runs per game this season, so Springs Valley's hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Bloomington North, they will head out on the road to challenge Bloomfield at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
