The Lapel Bulldogs will face off against the Elwood Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lapel's pitching crew has only allowed 2.6 runs per game this season, so Elwood's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Lapel is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Taylor a 19-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Bulldogs, who have now won 14 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Ava Zdanowski looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, she posted four strikeouts, the most she's had since May 3rd.
Delaney Balser
| 05/27/25 vs Taylor | 5 |
| 04/24/25 vs Knightstown | 4 |
| 04/17/24 @ Muncie Central | 3 |
| 03/21/24 @ Guerin Catholic | 3 |
| 05/15/25 @ Delta | 2 |
At the plate, Delaney Balser and Tatum Harper did most of the damage at the plate: Balser went a perfect 1-for-1 with five RBI and one run, while Harper got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs. Those five RBI gave Balser a new career-high. Paige Stires was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Elwood can bid farewell to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Tuesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Tipton 5-4.
Sandy Jordan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kelsey Armes, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one home run the last three times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Hawks, who went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Elwood hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive contests.
The win (which was Lapel's third in a row) raised their record to 21-6. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Elwood, their win bumped their record up to 8-18.
Everything went Lapel's way against Elwood in their previous meeting last Monday, as Lapel made off with an 11-1 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bulldogs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
