The Melissa Cardinals will take on the Wakeland Wolverines at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Melissa will come into the match with an undefeated record on the line.
Melissa is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They put the hurt on Texas with a sharp 12-1 victory. The Cardinals might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 26 games by six runs or more this season.
Eloisa Maes looked comfortable as she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Kennedy Bradley was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and one triple. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024. Amariee Bradford was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Melissa was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .517. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .348 or higher in six consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Wakeland got the win against Lebanon Trail on Friday by a conclusive 9-3. The Wolverines are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the 18th match they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Jordan Mcnees spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up ten Ks.
At the plate, Wakeland let Lauren McIllwain and Reese Thomas run wild. McIllwain went 2-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Thomas went 3-for-4 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaylee Kinney, who went 2-for-5 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Melissa pushed their record up to 31-0 with the win, which was their 21st straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.5 runs on average over those games. As for Wakeland, they are on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 14 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-5 record this season.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Melissa hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .495. However, it's not like Wakeland struggles in that department as they've averaged .407. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Melissa was able to grind out a solid win over Wakeland in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, winning 5-0. Will the Cardinals repeat their success, or do the Wolverines have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
