Softball Game Preview: Central Rockets vs. McHenry Warriors

Central is 0-8 against McHenry since May of 2021 but things could change on Wednesday. The Rockets will host the Warriors at 4:30 p.m.

The home team had won the previous six meetings between Central and Crystal Lake Central, and Crystal Lake Central kept the tradition alive. The Rockets came up short against the Tigers on Monday, falling 7-1.

Isabella Reed was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over six innings pitched.

At the plate, Central saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kelsey Covey, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for McHenry, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 13-7 margin over Dundee-Crown on Monday. Considering the Warriors have won four matchups by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.

Natalie Bender spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and five unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up six Ks.

On the hitting side, McHenry got a massive performance out of Elyse Fullington, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Lyla Oeffling was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.

McHenry kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in May of 2024.

McHenry's victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 4-6. As for Central, their loss was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 4-6.