The Highland Trojans will venture away from home to challenge the Illiana Christian Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
While Highland's victory against Chesterton wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Highland had just enough and edged out Chesterton 11-10. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Highland got a massive performance out of Jordan Boyd, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Gracie Waldron was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Highland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .559. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Chesterton only posted an OBP of .417.
Meanwhile, Illiana Christian came tearing into Thursday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Brickies with a sharp 12-2 win. Considering the Vikings have won eight contests by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Cayden Petersen was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Illiana Christian let Emmy Jansma and Olivia Daliege run wild. Jansma fired off three runs, three doubles, and one triple while going 4-for-4, while Daliege went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. Those four hits gave Jansma a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Mya VanderWoude, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Illiana Christian's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-7. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Highland, they have been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-9 record this season.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Highland has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .503. However, it's not like Illiana Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .493. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
