Softball Recap: Griffith Comes Up Short

Griffith extended their losing streak to three on Monday, dropping their season record down to 7-3 in the process. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-2 heartbreaker at the hands of the Illiana Christian Vikings. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Panthers have suffered since May 4, 2024.

Cheyanne Fant

Batters Struck Out

04/28/25 vs Illiana Christian	7
04/26/25 @ Boone Grove	7
04/24/25 vs Hanover Central	8

Cheyanne Fant put in work no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off eight hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Fant wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Elena Rivas, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one double.

As for Illiana Christian, they now have a winning record of 6-5. The win continues a trend for them in their matchups with Griffith: they've now won eight in a row.

On Illiana Christian's side, Cayden Petersen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. With that strong performance, Petersen is now averaging an impressive 5.1 strikeouts per game.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Lydia VanderWoude, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and three runs. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in May of 2024. Mya VanderWoude also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

While Griffith had to take the loss, they won't have to wait long to give it another shot: the pair's next game is a rematch scheduled at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.