It'll be a Battle of the Birds when Firelands Falcons duke it out with Monroeville Eagles at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Things were looking good for Firelands after they put the first points on the board on Saturday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They took an 11-8 hit to the loss column at the hands of Edison. The Falcons have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Mckenzie Janosik and Helen Bolyard did some serious damage despite the final result: Janosik scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances, while Bolyard scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Aubrynn Reichle, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Monroeville put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Bellevue 11-2. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by nine runs or more this season.
Veanna Helmstetter made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Taryn Tyler, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. Madison Reiber was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and three RBI.
Monroeville pushed their record up to 5-0 with the win, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Firelands, they now have a losing record of 1-2.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Firelands hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Monroeville struggles in that department as they've averaged .385. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
