The Norwayne Bobcats will venture away from home to challenge the Tuslaw Mustangs at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Wednesday, Norwayne made easy work of Chippewa and carried off an 18-3 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Bobcats.
Avery Lonsbury made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over five innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits. Lonsbury was also big at the plate, scoring four runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Riley Gwinn, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. Cloie Kick also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Norwayne kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Tuslaw had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 16-6 margin over the Falcons. That's two games straight that the Mustangs have won by exactly ten runs.
Gabby McGowen looked comfortable as she tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Dani Crescenze and Eiley Bolgiano did most of the damage at the plate: Crescenze went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs, while Bolgiano went 3-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and four RBI. Crescenze is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Hadley Porter, who went 4-for-5 with two doubles, one triple, and one run.
Norwayne's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.9 runs over those games. As for Tuslaw, their record is now 8-3.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Norwayne has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .542. However, it's not like Tuslaw struggles in that department as they've averaged .517. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Norwayne might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Tuslaw in their previous meeting back in May of 2022. Can the Bobcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
