Softball Game Preview: Irondale Knights vs. Forest Lake Rangers

Irondale hasn't had much luck against Forest Lake recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Knights will challenge the Rangers at 7:00 p.m. Irondale has given up an average of 12.2 runs per game this season, but Wednesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Irondale is headed into Wednesday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 26th straight game dating back to last season on Monday. They lost 14-4 to Mounds View. On the bright side, the four- run effort marked the Knights' highest-scoring contest to date.

Maria Walsh made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Audrey Smith also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Meanwhile, Forest Lake put another one in the bag on Monday to keep their perfect season alive. Everything went their way against Roseville as they made off with a 15-1 victory. The game marked the Rangers' most dominant win of the season so far.

The team relied heavily on Karianne Drury, who scored three runs while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Maddie McCafferty, who scored a run while going 1-for-1.

Forest Lake always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Irondale's loss dropped their record down to 0-5. As for Forest Lake, their record now sits at 5-0.

Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Wednesday. Irondale hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Forest Lake struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.6 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.

Irondale suffered a grim 7-0 defeat to Forest Lake in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Knights avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.