vs
| 05/01/24 - Away | 13-0 W |
| 04/30/24 - Home | 10-0 W |
| 05/03/23 - Home | 21-2 W |
| 05/02/23 - Away | 9-0 W |
| 05/11/22 - Away | 15-1 W |
| + 5 more games |
Valparaiso has gone a perfect 10-0 against Merrillville recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Vikings will take on the Pirates at 4:30 p.m. Valparaiso's pitching crew has only allowed 3.8 runs per game this season, so Merrillville's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Valparaiso is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Columbus East just ended the team's five-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell 5-2 to the Olympians.
Valparaiso got a good showing from Kellan Hosek, who didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Merrillville). Everything went their way against Hammond Central on Monday as they made off with an 11-4 victory. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Pirates with their most commanding win of the season.
Kaleb Henry made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Merrillville got a massive performance out of James Wood, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Those two doubles gave Wood a new career-high. Darnell Bowles was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Merrillville was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .438. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
The win made it two in a row for Merrillville and bumps their season record up to 3-9. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Valparaiso, their loss dropped their record down to 6-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Valparaiso has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Merrillville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Valparaiso took their win against Merrillville when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 13-0 score. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pirates turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
