Vikings
| 05/15/25 @ Portage | 9-10 |
| 05/13/25 vs Hammond Bishop Noll | 10-3 |
| 05/12/25 @ Hammond Bishop Noll | 10-3 |
| 05/09/25 vs Chesterton | 4-1 |
| 05/08/25 @ Hanover Central | 5-7 |
Illiana Christian dropped their record down to 17-4 on Thursday, which also ended the team's three-game streak of wins. They fell just short of the Portage Indians by a score of 10-9. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Vikings, who until this matchup were averaging two runs allowed.
Ayden VanKuiken made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That home run was his first of the season. Nick DeBlock was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
As for Portage, they moved to 10-11-2 with that victory, which also ended their three-game losing streak. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for they considering their one-run performance the game before.
On Portage's side, Hunter Cole made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. That's the most strikeouts Cole has posted over his last six contests. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. He has become a key player for Portage: the team is 2-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 8-10-2 otherwise.
In other batting news, Devon Ortiz was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Kodie Young, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Illiana Christian will face off against Andrean at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The Fighting 59ers will roll in looking for their 14th straight win, something the Vikings surely won't give up without a fight. As for Portage, they will square off against La Porte at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
