Softball Game Preview: Horace vs. Shanley Deacons

Horace will head out to square off against the Shanley Deacons at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Horace has given up an average of 7.2 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Horace is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of North Dakota's top teams: Sheyenne, who was ranked ninth at the time (Horace was ranked 13th). Horace took a 13-8 hit to the loss column at the hands of Sheyenne on Tuesday.

Tristyn Struck led a balanced group of hitters, going 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles. Struck is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's snagged at least one every time she's taken the field this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Braelynn Brown, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.

Meanwhile, Shanley put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Valley City 14-4. Fans of the Deacons have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.

Horace's loss dropped their record down to 4-2. As for Shanley, their win bumped their record up to 3-0.