Bellevue East hasn't had much luck against Millard West recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Chieftains will take on the Wildcats at 10:00 a.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
It was a classic East v. West duel when Bellevue East challenged Bellevue West on Thursday. The Chieftains put the hurt on the Thunderbirds with a sharp 10-2 win. The Chieftains might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by six runs or more this season.
Cota Barmore and Audrina Urwin did most of the damage at the plate: Barmore went 1-for-2 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Urwin went 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI Barmore has posted over her last 14 matches.
Meanwhile, Millard West never let their opponents score on Thursday. They blew past Buena Vista 10-0.
Addison Burdorf made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Aubrey Burdorf was a standout: she went a perfect 2-for-2 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run. Emerson Knispel also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Millard West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .654. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Millard West has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.9 runs on average over those games. As for Bellevue East, their record is now 11-7.
Bellevue East came up short against Millard West in their previous matchup on Saturday, falling 4-0. Can the Chieftains avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.