Softball Game Preview: Rantoul Eagles vs. Monticello Sages

Rantoul is 1-9 against Monticello since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Eagles will host the Sages at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Rantoul is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 17-2 margin over Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Monday. The Eagles have beaten the Panthers the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Panthers has come to flipping the script.

Meanwhile, Monticello had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Wednesday. They came out on top against the Trojans by a score of 5-1.

Cassidee Stoffel made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and one double.

In other batting news, Lucy Leatherwood was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Thea Key was another key player, getting on base in two of her four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.

Monticello hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in five consecutive games.

Monticello's victory bumped their record up to 21-5. As for Rantoul, their win bumped their record up to 7-12.

Rantoul suffered a grim 16-1 defeat to Monticello in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.