The Pleasant Plains Cardinals will venture away from home to take on the Glenwood Titans at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Pleasant Plains is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.3 runs per game this season.
Pleasant Plains barely beat Jacksonville the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cardinals blew past the Crimsons 14-4 on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Cardinals in their matchups with the Crimsons: they've now won seven in a row.
Delaney Murphy
| 05/09/25 vs Jacksonville | 4 |
| 05/08/25 vs Tri-City | 3 |
| 04/29/25 vs New Berlin/Franklin/Waverly | 3 |
| 04/23/25 @ Taylorville | 3 |
| 04/15/25 @ Maroa-Forsyth | 3 |
Delaney Murphy was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Lexie Shimkus, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Pleasant Plains kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Glenwood entered their tilt with Carterville on Saturday with ten consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with 11. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over the Lions.
Alyvia Streb spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sydney Feld, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-3. Hope Gilmore was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run.
Glenwood's win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 20-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Pleasant Plains, their record now sits at 16-6-1.
Monday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pleasant Plains hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. However, it's not like Glenwood struggles in that department as they've averaged .363. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pleasant Plains might still be hurting after the 11-0 loss they got from Glenwood in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Cardinals avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
