The Western Reserve Blue Devils will challenge the Mineral Ridge Rams at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Western Reserve is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Jackson-Milton just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Wednesday. They fell just short of the Bluejays by a score of 11-10.
Harper Darney was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Chloeigh Endsley, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Mineral Ridge, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They blew past Springfield 15-1 on Tuesday. Considering the Rams have won seven contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Sullivan Sandy was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Kourtni Kaminski was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
Mineral Ridge kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in nine consecutive games.
Mineral Ridge pushed their record up to 11-5 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Western Reserve, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-5.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Western Reserve hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. However, it's not like Mineral Ridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .365. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Western Reserve might still be hurting after the 20-2 loss they got from Mineral Ridge when the teams last played back in April of 2025. Will the Blue Devils have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
