Baseball Preview: Illiana Christian Vikings vs. Hobart Brickies
The Illiana Christian Vikings will head out on the road to take on the Hobart Brickies at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Illiana Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.5 runs per game this season.
Illiana Christian's hitters might be in the hot seat on Saturday considering what happened against Andrew on Friday. They wound up with the same score they had in their last game (8-0), but sadly the team found themselves on the wrong side of the score this time. The defeat continues a trend for them in their matchups with Andrew: they've now lost three in a row.
Isaac VanderWoude made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-3 with a triple and a double.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Hobart gave their fans yet another huge victory on Friday. They blew past Westville 12-0. Winning may never get old, but Hobart sure is getting used to it with their sixth in a row.
Connor Stafford was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Stafford has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. Stafford was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases.
In other batting news, Celedonio Pimentel was a standout: he went 1-for-1 with two runs, a triple, and a stolen base. Another player making a difference was Brandon Stafford, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Illiana Christian's loss dropped their record down to 14-9. As for Hobart, their win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-9.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Illiana Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .485. However, it's not like Hobart struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Illiana Christian took their victory against Hobart in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 8-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Illiana Christian since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
