Softball Preview: Southwood Knights vs. Wabash Apaches
Southwood is 8-2 against Wabash since May of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Southwood Knights are on the road again to play the Wabash Apaches at 5:00 p.m. Southwood is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Southwood was able to grind out a solid victory over Rochester, taking the game 7-3.
Natalie Sutphin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts every time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Grace Lambert was incredible, going 2-for-4 with two triples, five RBI, and a run. Another player making a difference was Rylee Thomas, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Wabash has not done well against Northfield recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. Wabash put the hurt on Northfield with a sharp 11-2 win. Wabash's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Wabash also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kalli Davis gave up just two earned runs on eight hits and racked up ten Ks.
At the plate, Ella Hartley was a standout: she scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. Elli Hall was another key contributor, going 1-for-4 with two runs, a triple, and two RBI.
Southwood's record now sits at 5-1. As for Wabash, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 2-3.
Wabash's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Southwood hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .326. It's a different story for Wabash, though, as they've only averaged .248. Will they be able to contain Southwood's hitters?
Southwood took their win against Wabash when the teams last played back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 13-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for Southwood since the team 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
