The Barry Western Wildcats will face off against the Rushville-Industry Rockets at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Wednesday, Barry Western got the win against Mendon Unity by a conclusive 13-1. Considering the Wildcats have won eight games by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Rushville-Industry ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They won by a run and slipped past Hamilton 13-12.
Italee Ford was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched 8.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off 12 hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-6 with four runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Devin Vogler was a standout: she went 4-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three doubles. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Charlee Gerleman, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and one triple.
Rushville-Industry kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Barry Western is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-10 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Rushville-Industry, their victory bumped their record up to 14-7.
Barry Western skirted past Rushville-Industry 2-1 in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Do the Wildcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Rockets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
