Bend has gone a perfect 10-0 against Mountain View recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Lava Bears will head out to square off against the Cougars at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Having struggled with three defeats in a row, Bend turned things around against Crook County on Wednesday. They came out on top against the Cowboys by a score of 11-8. Considering the Lava Bears' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
McKenna Nye
| 04/04/26 @ North Medford | 1 |
| 04/07/26 vs Caldera | 1 |
| 03/17/26 @ West Albany | 2 |
| 03/23/26 @ Silverton | 2 |
| 03/24/26 vs Churchill | 3 |
McKenna Nye spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up six Ks. Those six strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Emily Lauerman was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2025. Another player making a difference was Megan Malinowski, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one double.
Bend was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Mountain View put their dominant pitcher on display in the team's fourth consecutive shutout on Tuesday. They blew past Crook County 13-0. The result was nothing new for the Cougars, who have now won six matchups by ten runs or more so far this season.
Blaire Eckman made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.
In other batting news, Cadence Kennedy and Keilah McCarthy did most of the damage at the plate: Kennedy went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while McCarthy went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Marley Russell was another key player, going 1-for-4 with three stolen bases and three runs.
Mountain View's record now sits at 7-0. As for Bend, they picked up their first home victory, bumping their record up to 2-7.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Bend hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Mountain View struggles in that department as they've averaged .487. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bend got the 'W' when the teams last played back in May of 2025 against Mountain View by a conclusive 16-6 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lava Bears since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
