Softball Game Preview: Manteno Panthers vs. Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers

Manteno is 0-3 against Joliet Catholic since June of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Panthers will welcome the Hilltoppers at 4:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Manteno 4, Joliet Catholic 3.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.

On Tuesday, Manteno needed a bit of extra time to put away Herscher. They had just enough and edged out the Tigers 12-10. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.

Meanwhile, Joliet Catholic earned a 4-1 victory over Nazareth Academy on Wednesday.

Nina Sebahar spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Addy Rizzatto, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Adelia Southcombe, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one triple and one run.

Joliet Catholic has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-9 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games. As for Manteno, their victory bumped their record up to 16-4.

Manteno couldn't quite finish off Joliet Catholic in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 and fell 5-3. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.