Softball Game Preview: Normal West Wildcats vs. Moline Maroons

The Normal West Wildcats will challenge the Moline Maroons at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

It was a proper cat-fight when Normal West took on Plainfield North on Tuesday. The Wildcats walked away with an 8-3 victory over the Tigers. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Wildcats.

Normal West let Rylee Hollings and Erika Durham run wild. Hollings went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Durham went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run and three runs. Those RBI marked the first that Hollings brought in this season. Olivia Kobel was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.

Normal West was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .393. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.

Meanwhile, Moline got the win against Alleman on Thursday by a conclusive 8-2.

Kayley Reynolds spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Brooke Young was excellent, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3. Those two hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sydney Sibley, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.

Normal West's win bumped their record up to 3-4. As for Moline, their victory bumped their record up to 2-7.

Normal West might still be hurting after the 6-0 defeat they got from Moline in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.