Softball Game Preview: Utica Eisenhower Eagles vs. Utica Chieftains

The Utica Eisenhower Eagles are taking a road trip to take on the Utica Chieftains at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

While Utica Eisenhower's win against Chippewa Valley wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Eagles won by a run and slipped past the Big Reds 3-2.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Utica). They put the hurt on Fraser with a sharp 15-6 victory on Tuesday. The Chieftains have beaten the Ramblers the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Ramblers has come to flipping the script.

Violet Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up seven Ks.

At the plate, Rachel Durecki was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with five RBI, one run, and one double. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Alora Hogsten, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI.

Utica always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

The win got Utica back to even at 12-12. As for Utica Eisenhower, their victory bumped their record up to 5-7.

Utica Eisenhower skirted past Utica 4-3 when the teams last played on May 5th. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.