Baseball Preview: Illiana Christian Vikings vs. Whiting Oilers
Illiana Christian is 6-0 against Whiting since May of 2021, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The Illiana Christian Vikings will be staying on the road to face off against the Whiting Oilers at 12:00 p.m. The pair are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Illiana Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They were the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over Hammond Bishop Noll. Illiana Christian might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won 12 matches by eight runs or more this season.
Spencer Bandstra made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and only one walk). Bandstra has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive pitching appearances. Bandstra was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
In other batting news, Nick Neri was incredible, going 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Jake Scott, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Whiting scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Wednesday. They put the hurt on 21st Century Charter with a sharp 27-3 win. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded Whiting with their most commanding win of the season.
Like Illiana Christian, Whiting also got a great game from a two-way player: Noah Cruz. Throwing, Cruz tossed three innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Armando Campos struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). At bat, Cruz scored two runs while going 2-for-3, while Campos scored two runs and stole two bases.
In other batting news, Beau Harbin was a standout: he scored five runs and stole two bases while going 6-for-6. The team also got some help courtesy of Nick Davenport, who went 4-for-4 with seven RBI, a run, and a double.
Illiana Christian has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games, which provided a nice bump to their 16-9 record this season. As for Whiting, their victory bumped their record up to 8-15.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Illiana Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .492. However, it's not like Whiting struggles in that department as they've averaged .456. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Illiana Christian beat Whiting 5-2 in their previous matchup back in April. Will Illiana Christian repeat their success, or does Whiting have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
