Northeastern is 1-7 against Eastern Hancock since April of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Knights will head out on the road to face off against the Royals at 5:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Wednesday, Northeastern made easy work of Union County and carried off an 8-1 win. The victory continues a trend for the Knights in their matchups with the Patriots: they've now won four in a row.
Zella Cook made a splash while hitting and pitching. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Cook was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with four stolen bases and three runs. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Karri Gammon, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2025. Kelsie Culbertson also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Eastern Hancock was not the first on the board on Tuesday, but they got there more often. They put the hurt on Wes-Del with a sharp 14-6 win.
Like Northeastern, Eastern Hancock also got a great game from a two-way player: Nieko Engleking. On the mound, she pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Engleking was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Lilli Ringer was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. She has been hot recently, having also posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Chloe Spong, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Eastern Hancock kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in four consecutive contests.
Northeastern's record now sits at 6-1. As for Eastern Hancock, their record is now 8-4.
Wednesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Northeastern hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Eastern Hancock struggles in that department as they've averaged .380. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
