Westville is 0-6 against Knox since April of 2015 but things could change on Monday. The Blackhawks will welcome the Redskins at 4:45 p.m. Westville is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last four games.
Westville is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Hammond Central 21-5 on Saturday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Blackhawks with their most commanding win of the season.
Kierstin Vargas
| 05/03/25 @ Hammond Central | 5 |
| 04/20/24 @ Lake Station Edison | 4 |
| 03/27/24 vs Argos | 4 |
| 04/28/25 @ Kouts | 3 |
| 05/29/24 vs Morgan Township | 3 |
Miranda Sparks and Kierstin Vargas made a splash no matter where they played. Throwing, Sparks tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Vargas tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. At bat, Sparks went a perfect 5-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI, while Vargas went a perfect 5-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. Those five hits gave Vargas a new career-high.
In other batting news, Kiersten Vaughan was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Lily Green, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
Westville hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hammond Central struck out 11 times.
Meanwhile, Knox had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against Rochester by a score of 6-3 on Friday.
Bethany Barnes spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on four hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Addison Sponaugle, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Sarah Fort, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one run.
Westville pushed their record up to 7-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Knox, their win bumped their record up to 6-9.
Knox's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Westville has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.8 hits per game. It's a different story for Knox, though, as they've been averaging 9.1 hits. Given Westville's sizable advantage in that area, the Redskins will need to find a way to close that gap.
Westville suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Knox in their previous matchup back in April of 2019. Can the Blackhawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
