Softball Game Preview: Eau Claire North Huskies vs. Rice Lake Warriors

For the second straight game, Eau Claire North will face off against Rice Lake. The Huskies will venture away from home to take on the Warriors at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Eau Claire North has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the game with eight straight defeats, while Rice Lake will come in with three straight victories.

Rice Lake hit Eau Claire North with a four-run fifth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Huskies took a 5-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Warriors. That's two games in a row now that the Huskies have lost by exactly four runs.

For Rice Lake's part, Kamryn Kunz was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 15 over seven innings pitched. Kunz has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024.

In other batting news, Ava Anderson was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double. Aubrey Musil also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.

Rice Lake was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Eau Claire North only posted a batting average of .167.

The win got Rice Lake back to even at 10-10. As for Eau Claire North, their loss dropped their record down to 6-15.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Eau Claire North has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Rice Lake struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.