Cambridge-Isanti is on an eight-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Blaine is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Bluejackets will welcome the Bengals at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Cambridge-Isanti 0.8, Blaine 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Cambridge-Isanti gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They came out on top in a nail-biter against St. Francis, sneaking past 4-2. The game was the first time the Bluejackets have beaten the Fighting Saints on their field since April 20, 2021.
Mackenzie Brooks was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high.
Brooks wasn't the only one making solid contact as seven players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Amiya Polzin, who went 3-for-4 with one double. Another was Taitum Kostecka, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one run.
Blaine came out on top against Robbinsdale Armstrong on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run fourth inning. The Bengals took their matchup against the Falcons 9-5.
Paige Dahlman tossed a big game, tossing six innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits.
On the hitting side, Blaine let Emmie Sylvia-Cochran and Hailey Hlavinka run wild. Sylvia-Cochran went 2-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, and one double, while Hlavinka went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles. Those doubles marked the first that Hlavinka has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Emily Vogel, who went 1-for-3 with two runs.
Blaine is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Cambridge-Isanti, their win bumped their record up to 12-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Cambridge-Isanti has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Blaine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Cambridge-Isanti came out on top in a nail-biter against Blaine in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 2-1. Do the Bluejackets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bengals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
