Ottawa is 2-8 against Spring Hill since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Cyclones will be playing in front of their home fans against the Broncos at 4:30 p.m. Ottawa is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with five losses in a row, Ottawa turned things around against Paola on Thursday. They came out on top against the Panthers by a score of 6-1. The game was the first time the Cyclones have beaten the Panthers on their field since May 3, 2023.
Maria Vink spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits.
On the hitting side, Ottawa's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Chanelle Fuller, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run. Kathy Gillett also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Ottawa hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Spring Hill came tearing into Thursday's matchup with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.2 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Bulldogs get on the board and left with a 9-0 win. Considering the Broncos have won 12 games by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Jaleigh White made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out seven over six innings pitched. White was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
In other pitching news, Jayden Kistner looked comfortable as she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits.
Back at the plate, Olivia Fraley and Nora Burrell did most of the damage at the plate: Fraley went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Burrell went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run. That's the most doubles Burrell has posted over her last 12 contests. The team also got some help courtesy of Campbell Mermis, who went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Spring Hill's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Ottawa, the victory got them back to even at 9-9.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ottawa hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. However, it's not like Spring Hill struggles in that department as they've averaged .399. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ottawa might still be hurting after the 18-0 defeat they got from Spring Hill in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Cyclones have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
