Softball Game Preview: Bloomington Purple Raiders vs. Rantoul Eagles

The Bloomington Purple Raiders will head out on the road to challenge the Rantoul Eagles at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Bloomington is coming into the contest hot, having won their last five games.

On Monday, Bloomington needed a bit of extra time to put away Mt. Zion. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Braves, sneaking past 3-2.

Reilly Vetter

Batters Struck Out

05/12/25 vs Mt. Zion	16
05/09/25 @ Centennial	13
05/06/25 vs Danville	14
05/02/25 @ Peoria Notre Dame	10
04/29/25 vs Lincoln	15
+ 12 more games

Reilly Vetter spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up 16 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.

At the plate, Lauren Shuey was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played.

Meanwhile, Rantoul earned a 6-2 win over Clinton on Friday.

Bloomington pushed their record up to 14-3 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. As for Rantoul, their record now sits at 8-13.

Bloomington came out on top in a nail-biter against Rantoul in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, sneaking past 1-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Purple Raiders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.