Borden hasn't had much luck against Salem recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Braves will challenge the Lions at 5:00 p.m. Borden will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
Borden lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Lanesville, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's matchup. The Braves blew past the Eagles 10-0 on Thursday. Considering the Braves have won nine contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Borden got a massive performance out of AJ Mallard, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Eva Eversmann, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Borden was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .385. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lanesville only posted a batting average of .182.
Meanwhile, Salem was not the first on the board on Thursday, but they got there more often. They walked away with a 9-5 win over Springs Valley. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Lions.
Karissa Hardy made a splash while hitting and pitching. She tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Kenadie Garloch was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April. Rachel Little was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Borden pushed their record up to 13-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Salem, they now have a winning record of 9-8.
Salem's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Borden has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .454. It's a different story for Salem, though, as they've only averaged .365. Will they be able to contain Borden's hitters?
Borden took their victory against Salem in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 9-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
