The Tri-Valley Vikings will head out to face off against the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Falcons at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Tri-Valley extended their winning streak to six on Thursday. Everything went the Vikings' way against Fieldcrest as they made off with a 13-1 victory.
Paige Fesler was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-2. Molly Vandiver also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley hadn't beaten Lexington on the road since April 25, 2019 but that history sure didn't bother them on Wednesday. The Falcons blew past the Minutemen 14-4.
Mallory Rosendahl made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, firing off two home runs, six RBI, and three runs while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley let Taylor Beck and Izzy Gawthrop run wild. Beck scored four runs while going 3-for-5, while Gawthrop scored three runs while going 3-for-5. Another player making a difference was Bella Young, who went 3-for-5 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in three consecutive matches.
Tri-Valley's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-0-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, their record now sits at 7-3.
Tri-Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Vikings have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Tri-Valley continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Tri-Valley's way against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Tri-Valley made off with a 7-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
