Softball Game Preview: Springfield Catholic Fighting Irish vs. Jasper Eagles

The Springfield Catholic Fighting Irish will venture away from home to challenge the Jasper Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Springfield Catholic took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Willow Springs a 10-0 shutout. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Fighting Irish as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Jasper got the win against Lakeland on Tuesday by a conclusive 15-3. The win continues a trend for the Eagles in their matchups with the Vikings: they've now won three in a row.

Chloe Storm made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over five innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). Storm was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emersyn Bass, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles, four RBI, and one stolen base. Those three doubles gave her a new career-high. Addie Atnip was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.

Springfield Catholic pushed their record up to 12-8 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Jasper, their record is now 10-8.