Softball Preview: Larkin Royals vs. Elgin Maroons
Larkin is 10-0 against Elgin since April of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Larkin Royals will be playing in front of their home fans against the Elgin Maroons at 4:30 p.m. Larkin is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8.3 runs per game this season.
Larkin is hoping to deliver their fans another blowout on Thursday, just like they did against Glenbard East (and have done all season long). Larkin was the clear victor by a 10-4 margin over Glenbard East on Tuesday. The high-scoring effort was just what Larkin needed considering they were shutout in their previous game.
Olivia Salazar spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than seven innings in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Larkin let Kaitlyn Neubert and Mya Bermudez loose on the outfield. Neubert went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI, while Bermudez went 2-for-3 with two runs, a triple, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Yesenia Escobar, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Elgin was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They wound up on the wrong side of a tough 14-1 walloping at the hands of Glenbard South.
Elgin saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Grace Tetrev, who went 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
The win got Larkin back to even at 9-9. As for Elgin, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-12.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Larkin has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Elgin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.1. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Larkin's way against Elgin in their previous matchup on April 6th as Larkin made off with a 19-1 victory. Will Larkin repeat their success, or does Elgin have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
