Grey Ghosts
| 04/15/25 vs Hartsburg-Emden | 19 |
| 04/14/25 @ Peoria Notre Dame | 3 |
| 04/12/25 @ Monticello | 5 |
| 04/10/25 @ Richwoods | 10 |
| 04/09/25 vs Bloomington Central Catholic | 4 |
| + 10 more games |
The Illinois Valley Central Grey Ghosts will head out to challenge the Bureau Valley Storm at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Illinois Valley Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.5 runs per game this season.
Illinois Valley Central had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 19-run drubbing they dealt Hartsburg-Emden on Tuesday. The Grey Ghosts never let the Stags get on the board and left with a 19-0 win. Considering the Grey Ghosts have won eight matches by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Jensyn Gustafson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. Those two runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Joharah Boze was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Nora Connett, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Illinois Valley Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .606. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, while it was Bureau Valley who put the first runs on the board on Wednesday, it was Newman Central Catholic who put up more. The Storm fell just short of the Comets by a score of 6-5. The Storm have struggled against the Comets recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.
Ali Carrington was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. She also launched a home run, marking her first of the season. Sadie Bailey was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
Illinois Valley Central is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Bureau Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 9-7.
Both Illinois Valley Central and Bureau Valley just can't seem to miss. The Grey Ghosts have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.6 hits per game. However, it's not like Bureau Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Illinois Valley Central couldn't quite get it done against Bureau Valley in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 as they fell 9-5. Can the Grey Ghosts avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
