Softball Game Preview: Hammond Bishop Noll Warriors vs. Wheeler Bearcats

By Team Reports Apr 22, 2025, 12:44am

Softball Preview: Hammond Bishop Noll Warriors vs. Wheeler Bearcats

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Warriors

Runs

04/21/25 @ River Forest14
04/17/25 @ Boone Grove1
04/15/25 @ Lake Station Edison16
04/14/25 vs Calumet New Tech16
04/12/25 vs Merrillville21
04/01/25 @ Hammond Central19

Hammond Bishop Noll hasn't had much luck against Wheeler recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Warriors will be playing at home against the Bearcats at 5:00 p.m. Hammond Bishop Noll is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 14.5 runs per game this season.

The home team had come away the winner the last five times Hammond Bishop Noll and River Forest had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Warriors' pitcher stepped up to hand the Ingots a 14-0 shutout on Monday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Warriors considering their one-run performance the matchup before.

The result came thanks to Molly Whelan's shutout, as she gave up just two hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Caitlyn Walker, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Aiyanna (Yani) Espinosa, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two doubles.

Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Wheeler faced off against Griffith on Tuesday. The Bearcats took a 10-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Panthers. Bearcats fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Panthers since on Tuesday.

Cadence Piunti put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and seven unearned) runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). Piunti was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run.

In other batting news, Rileyann Welch and Nora Howell did some serious damage despite the final result: Welch went a perfect 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI, while Howell went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one double. Ashlynne Trinidad also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Hammond Bishop Noll's win bumped their record up to 5-1. As for Wheeler, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-3.

Wheeler's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Hammond Bishop Noll has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Wheeler, though, as they've been averaging 10.7 hits. Given Hammond Bishop Noll's sizable advantage in that area, the Bearcats will need to find a way to close that gap.

Hammond Bishop Noll might still be hurting after the 7-1 loss they got from Wheeler in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Warriors have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.

Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps