The Dalton Bulldogs will challenge the Norwayne Bobcats at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a six-game winning streak alive.
Dalton not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since April 22nd (when they won 18-8). They were the clear victors by a 13-5 margin over Chippewa.
Peyton Neiger was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Hannah Wenger was incredible, going 4-for-5 with four runs and two stolen bases. Arabella Wenger was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Norwayne posted their closest win since March 29th on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Hillsdale 10-8. Norwayne's victory was all the more impressive since the Falcons were averaging only 3.61 runs allowed on the season.
Like Dalton, Norwayne also got a great game from a two-way player: Abby Workman. She struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up seven earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Workman was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs and two stolen bases.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Makenna Heyden, who fired off two home runs, four runs, and four RBI while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Riley Gwinn, who fired off two home runs and four RBI while going 2-for-4.
Norwayne lost a few balls and finished the game with four home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Norwayne pushed their record up to 15-2 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 8.5 runs. As for Dalton, their record is now 16-6.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Dalton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .356. However, it's not like Norwayne struggles in that department as they've averaged .412. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Dalton came out on top in a nail-biter against Norwayne in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, sneaking past 5-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bulldogs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
