The Indian Valley Braves will take on the Minerva Lions in a tournament on Tuesday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Indian Valley had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt Sandy Valley on Wednesday. The Braves were the clear victors by a 10-4 margin over the Cardinals. The Braves haven't had any issues with the Cardinals recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Shelby Gossett spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
Cambrye Pall
| 05/07/25 @ Sandy Valley | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Alliance | 2 |
| 04/18/25 vs Newcomerstown | 1 |
| 04/18/25 @ Steubenville | 1 |
| 04/11/25 vs Ridgewood | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Cambrye Pall, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Bella Weaver, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Indian Valley was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .394. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Minerva waltzed into their match on Saturday with two straight wins... but they left with three. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Saints a 12-0 shutout. The contest marked the Lions' most dominant victory of the season.
Sierra Cress made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one triple and one run.
In other batting news, Rachel Weaver was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Gabby Kashdan was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Indian Valley's win bumped their record up to 8-10. As for Minerva, their victory bumped their record up to 9-14.
Indian Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's game. The Braves have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Minerva, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Indian Valley continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Indian Valley's way against Minerva in their previous meeting back in May of 2018, as Indian Valley made off with an 11-1 win. Will the Braves repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
