Ballard had already won 14 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.5 runs), and they went ahead and made it 15 on Friday. They had just enough and edged the Garfield Bulldogs out 8-7. That's more bragging rights for Ballard, who also won the pair's last head-to-head.
Colette Howren made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off eight hits (and only one walk). Howren has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive pitching appearances. Howren was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Elsa Sand was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and a run. Addy Wynkoop was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
On Garfield's side, they saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jordana King, who fired off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 3-for-3. King continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Joie Cunningham, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
Even though they lost, Garfield lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. This was only their first loss (out of eight games) when they post two or more home runs.
Ballard is on a roll lately: they've won 16 of their last 17 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 20-4 record this season. As for Garfield, their defeat dropped their record down to 22-4.
Ballard does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Garfield, they will be playing at home against Roosevelt at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Garfield will be looking to keep their 13-game home win streak alive.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
