The North Ridgeville Rangers will face off against the Elyria Pioneers at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in North Ridgeville's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last three games.
On Thursday, North Ridgeville got the win against Midview by a conclusive 11-1.
Naomi Bottomlee
| 04/03/25 vs Midview | 1 |
| 03/29/25 vs Medina | 2 |
| 03/27/25 vs Olmsted Falls | 1 |
Naomi Bottomlee made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one triple.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kailee Pasenow, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Molly Walton, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
North Ridgeville was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .462. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Midview only posted a batting average of .188.
Meanwhile, Elyria lost a heartbreaker to Avon Lake when they met back in April of 2024, and they left with a heavy heart again on Thursday. The Pioneers came up short against the Shoremen, falling 15-5. The Pioneers haven't had much luck with the Shoremen recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Elyria also got a good showing from Keilee Taylor, who tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
At the plate, Jaelyn Green was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and one stolen base. Morgan Palos was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run and one stolen base.
North Ridgeville's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Elyria, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-2.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. North Ridgeville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .412. However, it's not like Elyria struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
North Ridgeville beat Elyria 4-1 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Rangers repeat their success, or do the Pioneers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
