The Springs Valley Blackhawks will face off against the Orleans Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Springs Valley has now lost seven straight, leaving the team hunting for their first win since the 1st.
Salem hit Springs Valley with a six-run sixth inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Blackhawks took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Lions.
Elliott Wininger made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Orleans let Bloomington North stack four runs on them in the first inning on Thursday but luckily Orleans prevailed anyway. The Bulldogs came out on top against the Cougars by a score of 7-4. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bulldogs.
Izzie Rutherford spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Maddy Spires and Ava Cooper did most of the damage at the plate: Spires went 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI, while Cooper went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most hits Spires has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Elizabeth Mahan, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Orleans was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bloomington North only posted a batting average of .214.
Orleans pushed their record up to 18-6 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Springs Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-12.
Springs Valley couldn't quite finish off Orleans when the teams last played on May 6th and fell 2-0. Will the Blackhawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
