Softball Game Preview: Fairfield Mules vs. Salem Wildcats

The Fairfield Mules will take on the Salem Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Fairfield didn't have quite enough to beat Hamilton County and fell 6-5. The Mules have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Hunter Kirk made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Jocelynn Lee, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3.

Meanwhile, Salem had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Oilers a 9-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won four contests by nine runs or more so far this season.

Not much got past Breanna Thurman, who gave up just three hits and racked up 13 Ks to keep East Alton-Wood River off the board. Thurman has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jaelyn Keller, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.

Salem's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.7 runs over those games. As for Fairfield, they now have a losing record of 6-7.

Fairfield suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Salem when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Can the Mules avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.