West Lafayette hasn't had much luck against Western recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Red Devils will head out to square off against the Panthers at 5:30 p.m. West Lafayette has given up an average of 7.1 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
West Lafayette couldn't beat McCutcheon on Friday even though they stacked six runs on them in the fifth inning. The Red Devils came up short against the Mavericks, falling 18-7.
Bree Johnson was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Megan Fowler was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Panthers on Friday. Western blew past Pioneer 8-1. The result was nothing new for Western, who have now won four contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Emma Roe made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Roe was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one home run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brynley Erb, who fired off two home runs, six RBI, and three runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Kylie Miller, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one double.
Western lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pioneer didn't launched any home runs.
Western's win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.1 runs over those games. As for West Lafayette, their loss dropped their record down to 5-4.
Both West Lafayette and Western just can't seem to miss. The Red Devils have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.8 hits per game. However, it's not like Western struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
West Lafayette couldn't quite get it done against Western when the teams last played back in May of 2024 as they fell 9-4. Can the Red Devils avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
