The Bayside Marlins will head out to challenge the Great Bridge Wildcats at 5:45 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
While Bayside's victory against Salem wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Marlins skirted past the Sundevils 10-9. The Marlins haven't had any issues with the Sundevils recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Kayleigh Leeland-Powell and Paityn Robinson did most of the damage at the plate: Leeland-Powell went 3-for-4 with four runs and one stolen base, while Robinson went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most RBI Robinson has posted since back in May of 2024. Madison Matthews was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Bayside hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Great Bridge). Everything went their way against King's Fork on Thursday as they made off with a 15-5 victory. Considering the Wildcats have won six matchups by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Jensyn Koonce spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Great Bridge let Adelynn Palmer and Cara Lechowicz run wild. Palmer went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI, while Lechowicz went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. That triple was Palmer's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Gabby Parker, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Great Bridge has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for Bayside, their record is now 8-9.
Bayside couldn't quite finish off Great Bridge when the teams last played back in May of 2024 and fell 2-0. Can the Marlins avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
