Softball Recap: Southwestern's Victory on Tuesday Extends Winning Streak to Four

Southwestern entered their tilt with North Mac on Tuesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They blew past the Panthers 18-3. That result was just more of the same for these two, as the Piasa Birds also won the last time the pair played back in May of 2024.

Vivian Zurheide

Home Runs (Career)

04/15/25 vs North Mac	2
03/18/25 @ Greenfield/Northwestern	1
04/08/24 @ Roxana	1
03/23/24 vs Granite City	1

The team relied heavily on Vivian Zurheide, who fired off two home runs, four runs, and four RBI while going 3-for-4. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Ella Kadell was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.

Zurheide wasn't the only one making solid contact: Southwestern kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in six consecutive matchups.

Southwestern pushed their record up to 6-3-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.3 runs over those games. As for North Mac, they are on a nine-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 0-9.

Southwestern and North Mac could both be facing uphill battles in their next games considering their disadvantage in the MaxPreps Illinois Rankings. The Piasa Birds will square off against Quincy Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday with a big rank disadvantage (218 vs. 43). Meanwhile, North Mac (ranked 468th) will meet Pittsfield (ranked 139th) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.