The Kewanee Boilermakers are taking a road trip to take on the Sherrard Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Kewanee took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They never let Newman Central Catholic get on the board and left with a 13-0 win. The Boilermakers not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since April 24th (when they won 21-5).
Kalleigh Gale was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, five RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Addy Yepsen and Remy Hicks did most of the damage at the plate: Yepsen went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Hicks got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most runs Hicks has posted since back in April of 2024. Lyric Duytschaver also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Kewanee always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Newman Central Catholic only posted an OBP of .158.
Meanwhile, Sherrard made easy work of Monmouth-Roseville on Thursday and carried off an 11-0 victory. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Like Kewanee, Sherrard also got a great game from a two-way player: Danni Neppl. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Neppl was also big at the plate, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Makenzy Moran, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Marisa Neels, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Sherrard is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.9 runs over those games. As for Kewanee, their record now sits at 16-12.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Kewanee hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .379. However, it's not like Sherrard struggles in that department as they've averaged .380. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Kewanee skirted past Sherrard 9-8 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Boilermakers repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
