De Pere hasn't had much luck against Ashwaubenon recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Redbirds are taking a road trip to take on the Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. De Pere is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
De Pere came into this matchup off a tough six-run loss on Friday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of Slinger by a score of 3-1 on Saturday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Redbirds have suffered since April 22, 2024.
Julianne Bradford was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.
Meanwhile, Ashwaubenon had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They came out on top against the Ships by a score of 9-4.
Grace Aichele made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single earned run in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one double.
In other batting news, Peyton Crutcher was incredible, going 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Gianna Guarascio, who went 2-for-4 with one home run.
Ashwaubenon hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive matches.
Ashwaubenon pushed their record up to 13-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for De Pere, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 14-7.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. De Pere hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Ashwaubenon struggles in that department as they've averaged .373. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
De Pere might still be hurting after the 7-0 loss they got from Ashwaubenon in their previous meeting back in April. Can the Redbirds avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
