The Munster Mustangs will square off against the Illiana Christian Vikings at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Munster 3.1, Illiana Christian 3.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Munster barely beat Boone Grove the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Mustangs' pitcher stepped up to hand the Wolves a 12-0 shutout on Wednesday. The Mustangs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Munster got a massive performance out of Caroline Wendlinger, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and three runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Addy Biel, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Illiana Christian entered their tilt with Highland on Monday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They came out on top against the Trojans by a score of 5-1.
Cayden Petersen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on six hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Lydia VanderWoude, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged two or more in each of the last five games she's played. Another player making a difference was Adeline Mulder, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
Munster is on a roll lately: they've won 17 of their last 18 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 25-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. As for Illiana Christian, they pushed their record up to 18-7 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Munster hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Illiana Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
