Bureau Valley couldn't quite beat Newman Central Catholic on Wednesday but the two-point margin was a huge improvement compared to the seven-point loss they were dealt last Monday. The Bureau Valley Storm fell just short of the Newman Central Catholic Comets by a score of 6-4. Bureau Valley was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Newman Central Catholic apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in April of 2023.
Madison Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, Emily Wright was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.
On Newman Central Catholic's side, Jessalin Johns made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits. Johns has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive pitching appearances. Johns was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lucy Oetting, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and a triple. Another player making a difference was Brenleigh Cook, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Bureau Valley has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-6 record this season. As for Newman Central Catholic, their victory bumped their record up to 6-7.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Bureau Valley will take on Princeton at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Bureau Valley's pitching crew has only allowed 3.6 runs per game this season, so Princeton's hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Newman Central Catholic, they will look to defend their home field on Thursday against Mendota at 4:30 p.m. Newman Central Catholic is facing Mendota at the right time seeing as Mendota is stuck on a four-game losing streak.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
