Softball Game Preview: Seneca Fighting Irish vs. Beecher Bobcats

Seneca is on a 33-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Beecher is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Fighting Irish will welcome the Bobcats at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Seneca 1.1, Beecher 1.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Seneca is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They never let Coal City get on the board and left with a 6-0 victory. Considering the Fighting Irish have won 26 matches by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Beecher came out on top against Herscher on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fifth inning. The Bobcats sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 win over the Tigers. The Bobcats haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.

Ava Lorenzatti made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.

In other batting news, Beecher let Liliana Irwin and Allie Johnson run wild. Irwin went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run, while Johnson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI Irwin has posted since back in April.

Beecher hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in four consecutive contests.

Beecher's win bumped their record up to 33-2. As for Seneca, their victory bumped their record up to 34-1.