The Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks will face off against the Shenandoah Raiders at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Mississinawa Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Mississinawa Valley had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Randolph Southern on Wednesday. The Blackhawks were the clear victors by a 19-6 margin over the Rebels. The Blackhawks' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Ella Godfrey
| 04/30/25 @ Randolph Southern | 5 |
| 04/29/25 @ Bradford | 11 |
| 04/28/25 vs Tri-County North | 10 |
| 04/26/25 @ Houston | 11 |
| 04/26/25 @ Houston | 9 |
| + 8 more games |
Ella Godfrey was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four stolen bases and four runs. Those four runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Mississinawa Valley let Gentry Newbauer and Stephany De La Torre run wild. Newbauer got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double, while De La Torre got on base in three of her five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those four stolen bases gave Newbauer a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Carden Fritz, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Mississinawa Valley was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .417. They are 3-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Shenandoah fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Alexandria-Monroe on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Tigers by a score of 3-2. Having soared to a lofty 18 runs in the game before, the Raiders couldn't push the score so high this time.
Olivia Watson spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, Aleyna Sharritts was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season.
With the defeat, Shenandoah broke their three-game winning streak and moved their record to 9-3. As for Mississinawa Valley, their win bumped their record up to 8-10.
Mississinawa Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's game. The Blackhawks have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Shenandoah, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Mississinawa Valley continue to outrun the ball? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
