Softball Game Preview: Fenton Bison vs. South Elgin Storm

Fenton hasn't had much luck against South Elgin recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Bison will take on the Storm at 10:00 a.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Fenton took a seven-run loss the last time they faced off against Glenbard South, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Bison had just enough and edged out the Raiders 14-13 on Friday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Bison as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, South Elgin came tearing into Thursday's match with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Rams.

Anna Kiel made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 16 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and not a single walk). Those 16 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.

Kiel wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jenna Sheehan, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

South Elgin pushed their record up to 20-4 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.5 runs over those games. As for Fenton, their record now sits at 13-15.

Fenton suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to South Elgin in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Bison avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.