The Tri-Valley Bulldogs will face off against the Pine Grove Cardinals at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Tri-Valley comes in on four and Pine Grove on five.
While Tri-Valley's win against North Schuylkill wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out the Spartans 4-3 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bulldogs have posted since April 22nd.
Kora Rodichok spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Tri-Valley saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lydia Rodichok, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Pine Grove and Williams Valley had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Cardinals were the clear victors by a 14-5 margin over the Vikings on Thursday. The Cardinals might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 17 contests by six runs or more this season.
Callee Leffler was incredible, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. Hannah Aungst was another key player, going 2-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Pine Grove was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .382. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .343 or higher in five consecutive matches.
Pine Grove pushed their record up to 20-2 with the win, which was their seventh straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Tri-Valley, their win bumped their record up to 16-5.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Tri-Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .402. However, it's not like Pine Grove struggles in that department as they've averaged .381. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tri-Valley couldn't quite finish off Pine Grove in their previous meeting back in April and fell 4-2. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
