The Western Reserve Blue Devils are taking a road trip to challenge the Mineral Ridge Rams at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. One thing working in Western Reserve's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last five games.
Western Reserve can't be too worried about heading out to take on Mineral Ridge: they just beat Springfield at home, who had been dominant on their own field up to that point. The Blue Devils came out on top in a nail-biter against the Tigers on Tuesday, sneaking past 10-8.
Mara Kale spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and three unearned) runs on ten hits.
On the hitting side, Averie Hendon was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted over her last 11 matchups. Sophia Reigle was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Mineral Ridge came out on top against Waterloo on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive 12-run sixth inning. The Rams were the clear victors by a 15-5 margin over the Vikings. The result was nothing new for the Rams, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Mineral Ridge got a massive performance out of Kyleigh Jenkins, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. The team also got some help courtesy of Kourtni Kaminski, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
Mineral Ridge is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.1 runs over those games. As for Western Reserve, their record now sits at 9-7.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Western Reserve has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .448. However, it's not like Mineral Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .487. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Western Reserve might still be hurting after the 21-6 loss they got from Mineral Ridge in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Can the Blue Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
