The Borden Braves will head out to challenge the Orleans Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Borden barely beat New Washington the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Braves blew past the Mustangs 17-1 on Wednesday. That looming 17-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Braves yet this season.
Emma Hart
| 04/30/25 vs New Washington | 9 |
| 04/25/25 @ Charlestown | 8 |
| 04/21/25 @ North Harrison | 5 |
| 04/18/25 vs Shoals | 10 |
| 04/16/25 @ Clarksville | 10 |
Emma Hart made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Alayna Martin and AJ Mallard did most of the damage at the plate: Martin went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double, while Mallard went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most RBI Mallard has posted since back in May of 2024. Chelbi Condon also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Borden was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .613. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Orleans hadn't done well against Brownstown Central recently (they were 0-7 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Bulldogs won by a run and slipped past the Braves 5-4. The win was nothing new for the Bulldogs as they're now sitting on four straight.
Cambree Cline was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Chelsea Ralph, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Orleans pushed their record up to 11-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight on the road dating back to last season. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Borden, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-2 record this season.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Borden hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .432. However, it's not like Orleans struggles in that department as they've averaged .354. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
