Softball Game Preview: DeKalb Barbs vs. Huntley Red Raiders

DeKalb is 1-6 against Huntley since March of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Barbs will face off against the Red Raiders at 4:30 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

DeKalb is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They beat Hononegah by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 4-2. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Barbs.

Meanwhile, Huntley came tearing into Friday's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.4 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Bulldogs, sneaking past 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Red Raiders have posted since May 3rd.

Gretchen Huber spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Lana Hobday was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one run. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Grace Benson, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

DeKalb pushed their record up to 18-15 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.7 runs over those games. As for Huntley, their record now sits at 24-12.

DeKalb might still be hurting after the 9-0 defeat they got from Huntley when the teams last played back in May of 2022. Can the Barbs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.