Softball Preview: Chicago Christian Knights vs. Marian Catholic Spartans
The Chicago Christian Knights will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against the Marian Catholic Spartans at 4:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Chicago Christian has three straight wins, Marian Catholic has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Monday, Chicago Christian made easy work of Wheaton Academy and carried off a 13-5 victory.
Jocelyn Hovanec spent all seven innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits and racked up 12 Ks. Those 12 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Scarlett Tully, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, five RBI, and three runs. Tully is crushing it when it comes to RBI: she's brought in at least three every time she's taken the field this season. Brenna Schaafsma was another key contributor, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-5.
Meanwhile, Marian Catholic came up short against Carmel on Saturday and fell 13-8.
Ella DeNormandie made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs. Another player making a difference was Jasmine Venson, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Chicago Christian's win bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Marian Catholic, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-7.
Marian Catholic's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Chicago Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .563. It's a different story for Marian Catholic, though, as they've only averaged .313. Will they be able to contain Chicago Christian's hitters?
Chicago Christian came up short against Marian Catholic in their previous meeting back in April of 2022, falling 6-2. Can Chicago Christian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
