Softball Game Preview: Van Wert Cougars vs. Miller City Wildcats

The Van Wert Cougars will challenge the Miller City Wildcats at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Van Wert has given up an average of 11.2 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Van Wert fell victim to Defiance and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They lost 11-0 to the Bulldogs. The Cougars haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.

Meanwhile, Miller City got themselves on the board against Columbus Grove on Wednesday, but Columbus Grove never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 7-0 win. Considering the Wildcats have won four matches by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.

Not much got past Karlee Gilgenbach, who gave up just two hits and racked up six Ks to keep Columbus Grove off the board.

On the hitting side, Miller City let Morgan Verhoff and Peyton Michel run wild. Verhoff got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI, while Michel went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI. Those two doubles gave Michel a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Bailey David, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one double.

Miller City now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Van Wert, their loss dropped their record down to 1-4.

Van Wert might still be hurting after the 13-5 defeat they got from Miller City when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.