Softball Game Preview: Van Vandals vs. Lindale Eagles

The Van Vandals are taking a road trip to take on the Lindale Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Van will be looking to extend their current ten-game winning streak.

Van took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against Canton, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Van won by a run and slipped past Canton 3-2.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Lindale). They were the clear victor by a 25-1 margin over Mabank on Tuesday. Considering the Eagles have won seven games by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

AJ McPherson looked comfortable as she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Lindale got a massive performance out of Izzy Koonce, who went 2-for-3 with four runs, four RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI Koonce has posted since back in April of 2024. Zaidyn Chamberlain was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3.

Lindale kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in four consecutive contests.

Van pushed their record up to 13-5 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Lindale, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5-1 record this season.

Everything went Van's way against Lindale in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Van made off with a 10-0 victory. Does Van have another victory up their sleeve, or will Lindale turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.