Softball Preview: Waubonsie Valley Warriors vs. Neuqua Valley Wildcats
Waubonsie Valley is 2-8 against Neuqua Valley since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Waubonsie Valley Warriors will head out on the road to face off against the Neuqua Valley Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. Waubonsie Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.
Waubonsie Valley took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 14-2 margin over DeKalb. That looming 14-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Waubonsie Valley yet this season.
Waubonsie Valley got a great performance from Samantha Wiertelak as she struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and not a single walk). Wiertelak has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Hannah Laub was incredible, going 1-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Gia Cobert, who scored three runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Neuqua Valley sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over Metea Valley on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for Neuqua Valley.
Ava Drehs spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on eight hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, Nalia Clifford was incredible, going 2-for-4 with five RBI and a double. Another player making a difference was Jamie Heitman, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Waubonsie Valley has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games, which provided a massive bump to their 10-10 record this season. As for Neuqua Valley, their record is now 6-10.
Neuqua Valley's pitching crew has a tough task ahead of them: Waubonsie Valley has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.1 hits per game. It's a different story for Neuqua Valley, though, as they've been averaging 8.8. Given Waubonsie Valley's sizable advantage in that area, Neuqua Valley will need to find a way to close that gap.
Waubonsie Valley beat Neuqua Valley 4-1 in their previous matchup last Monday. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Drehs, who struck out 15 batters over six innings while giving up four earned runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Waubonsie Valley still be able to contain Drehs? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
