Elkhart has gone a perfect 4-0 against Concord recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Monday. The Lions are taking a road trip to square off against the Minutemen at 11:00 a.m. Elkhart's pitching crew has only allowed 4.1 runs per game this season, so Concord's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Elkhart took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They walked away with a 5-1 victory over Mishawaka Marian. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Knights recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Natali Finkhousen
| 05/23/25 vs Mishawaka Marian | 0 |
| 04/29/25 vs South Bend Saint Joseph | 2 |
| 04/12/25 @ Leo | 1 |
Natali Finkhousen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Elkhart's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Ava Walker, who went 1-for-4 with one stolen base and one run. Julia Renon also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Elkhart hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are 4-1 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Concord not only won on Wednesday, but they posted their biggest win since May 3rd (when they won 14-4). They blew past Wawasee 13-3. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Minutemen.
Concord also got a great performance from Allison Ralston as she struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk).
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Cassi Reames, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Laela Moore, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Elkhart's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-12. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Concord, their record is now 15-10.
Concord's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Elkhart has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Concord, though, as they've been averaging 9.8 hits. Given Elkhart's sizable advantage in that area, the Minutemen will need to find a way to close that gap.
Elkhart took their win against Concord when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
