The Whiting Oilers will head out to face off against the Hebron Hawks at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
While Whiting didn't have the best season last year (they finished 3-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Calumet New Tech an 18-0 shutout on Tuesday. The Oilers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by 18 runs or more this season.
Arianna Vianello was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Nevaeh Kender, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one RBI.
Whiting always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .800. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Hebron). They were the clear victors by a 14-5 margin over Washington Township on Monday. The Hawks haven't had any issues with the Senators recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Addison Toczek made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Toczek was also big at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, two stolen bases, and one double. That double was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hadley Donovan, who went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high. Bailey Dilbeck also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Whiting's record is now 5-1. As for Hebron, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
Hebron's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Whiting has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .610. It's a different story for Hebron, though, as they've only averaged .278. Will they be able to contain Whiting's hitters?
Whiting suffered a grim 15-1 defeat to Hebron in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Oilers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
