Baseball Game Preview: Iroquois Redhawks vs. Nichols Vikings

The Iroquois Redhawks will head out on the road to challenge the Nichols Vikings at 5:15 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Nichols will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Iroquois extended their winning streak to six on Wednesday. The Redhawks put the hurt on Griffith Institute with a sharp 8-2 win. The eight-run effort marked the Redhawks' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.

The team relied heavily on Slade McTigue, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, two doubles, and two RBI. Adam Radka also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.

Nichols came out on top against Canisius on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run seventh inning. The Vikings' pitchers stepped up to hand the Crusaders an 8-0 shutout. While the Vikings didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.

Trenton Ruffolo was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one triple. Drury Schmidt was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Iroquois' victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-0. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Nichols, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season.

Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Iroquois has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .491. However, it's not like Nichols struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.