Softball Recap: Meridian's Run of Four Straight Victories Now Over

Hawks

Previous 5 Games

05/05/25 vs Auburn	2-5
05/02/25 @ Tuscola	5-1
04/30/25 vs Warrensburg-Latham	11-1
04/28/25 vs Clinton	17-0
04/23/25 vs Central A & M	10-5

Meridian dropped their record down to 18-4 on Monday, which also ended the team's four-game streak of wins. They fell 5-2 to the Auburn Trojans. The Hawks were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Trojans apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in April of 2024.

Ashley Schelling spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Meridian saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Morgan Knierim, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

As for Auburn, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 18-4. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games.

On Auburn's side, they also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Meena Taylor gave up just two earned runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks.

At the plate, Addison Wheatley was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one double. Those three runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Izzy Carlisle, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI.

Meridian and Auburn should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps Illinois Rankings. The Hawks will challenge Shelbyville at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday with a big rank advantage (115 vs. 564). Meanwhile, Auburn (ranked 97th) will meet PORTA/Ashland-Chandlerville Central (ranked 316th) at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.