The Carlson Marauders will head out on the road to face off against the Dundee Vikings at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
While Carlson's victory against Anderson wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Marauders sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 12-10 win over the Titans on Thursday. The victory was nothing new for the Marauders as they're now sitting on three straight.
Avery McAuliffe looked comfortable as she tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Kiley Lewandowski was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Isabelle Salas, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Carlson kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 9-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Dundee had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Thursday. They blew past the Hornets 15-1. That's two games straight that the Vikings have won by exactly 14 runs.
Dundee also got a great performance from Lauren Doane as she didn't allow a single hit and allowed only one earned run while striking out 13 over five innings pitched.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ella Rath, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, three RBI, and one triple. She continues to improve, besting her previous run total in each of the last three games she's played. Lacey Evans also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Dundee's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-4. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Carlson, their record is now 12-10.
Saturday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Carlson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .355. However, it's not like Dundee struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Carlson suffered a grim 8-1 defeat to Dundee in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Marauders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
