Marist is on a 25-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Pontiac is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The RedHawks will host the Indians at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Marist 1.5, Pontiac 2.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Marist was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Saint Ignatius College Prep on Friday. The RedHawks blew past the Wolfpack 9-2. Considering the RedHawks have won 24 matches by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Meanwhile, Pontiac was able to grind out a solid victory over Normal West on Thursday, taking the game 5-1.
Elena Krause was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 17 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.
Krause wasn't the only one making solid contact as seven players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Izzy Hinz, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double. Another was Tessa Collins, who earned one RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
Pontiac kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Normal West only managed two hits.
Marist is on a roll lately: they've won 22 of their last 23 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 30-2 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Pontiac, their victory bumped their record up to 22-8.
Marist came out on top in a nail-biter against Pontiac in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 2-0. Will the RedHawks repeat their success, or do the Indians have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
