Chloe Updike’s inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the second propelled the Bulldogs to a big win over the Nitros 

The Burbank Bulldogs came away with a 13-1 mercy rule victory over the Glendale Nitros, sparked by Chloe Updike’s inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the second inning. Last week, Burbank came off a 3-1 win over Muir last Tuesday, and Glendale survived a narrow 2-1 win over Gabrielino last Wednesday. 

Maddison Kellogg worked around traffic in the top of the first inning, allowing one run on an RBI triple by Jade Marquez. Kellogg struck out Loraly Cano to end the top of the first. The Bulldogs then put up four runs in the bottom of the first inning as Charley Barnett and Kayla McPherson both drove in runs on back-to-back base hits. Kellogg and Krystal Balderas both failed to bring McPherson home by striking out swinging to end the home half of the first inning. 

Kellogg responded with a much better top of the second inning, this time surrendering only a leadoff walk to Paola Marquez. She struck out Fritzy Martinez looking, and got Brooke Aldrete and Jade Marquez on a ground out and pop out respectively. The Bulldogs added another four runs in the bottom of the second with RBIs by Kassie Kimmer, Updike, and Charley Barnett.  Updike had the exclamation point with her inside the park home run. 

Burbank continued to pull the game away in the bottom of the third and fourth innings as Samantha Cafferty drew an RBI bases-loaded walk in the home half of the third inning and Kayla Orozco drove in Kimmer by grounding into a five-four-three double play to end the home half of the fourth inning. Orozco, who came on in relief of Kellogg in the top of the fourth inning, worked around two one-out singles by Rachel Francis and Natalie Minkler by striking out Carla Bedolla and Veronica Velina to end the game.

Burbank improves to 8-11-1 overall and 4-2 in Pacific League play, and Glendale drops to 10-13-1 overall and 1-5 in Pacific League play. Glendale will take on crosstown rival the Hoover Tornados in the second of the back-to-back at Hoover High School at 3:45 p.m., and Burbank will host crosstown rival the John Burroughs Bears on Wednesday night at McCambridge Park Field number two. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with senior night ceremonies honoring the Burbank Bulldogs softball class of 2025 before the game.