Softball Game Preview: Willamette Wolverines vs. Sheldon Irish

Willamette hasn't had much luck against Sheldon recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Wolverines will be playing at home against the Irish at 1:00 p.m. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Willamette is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Oregon's top teams: Roseburg, who was ranked fourth at the time (Willamette was ranked 18th). The Wolverines lost 12-0 to the Indians on Tuesday. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Wolverines, who until this contest were averaging 3.71 runs allowed.

Macy Rush was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases.

Meanwhile, Sheldon suffered their biggest loss since March 29, 2024 on Tuesday. They came up short against Grants Pass, falling 11-1. The Irish have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Sheldon saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Presley Debaldo, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI. That RBI marked the first that Debaldo brought in this season.

Sheldon's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Willamette, their loss dropped their record down to 5-2.

Sheldon's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Saturday. Willamette has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Sheldon, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will Willamette keep running through batters, or will the Irish buck the trend?

Willamette might still be hurting after the 12-1 defeat they got from Sheldon in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Wolverines have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.