The Blackman Blaze will be taking part in a tournament against the Creek Wood Red Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Blackman had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Moline on Thursday. Blackman was the clear victor by a 10-1 margin over Moline. The Blaze might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by nine runs or more this season.
Madison Keel
| 03/27/25 vs Moline | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Boonville | 2 |
| 03/24/25 vs Central | 2 |
| 03/18/25 vs Community | 2 |
| 03/17/25 @ Central Magnet | 0 |
Blackman got a great performance from Madison Keel as she tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Keel has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Alyssa Barber was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Sophia Sullivan was another key player, scoring three runs while going 3-for-4.
Blackman was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .483. They are 4-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Creek Wood). They blew past Fairview 13-1 on Thursday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.
Creek Wood let Lilly Killebrew and Jaycee Dillehay run wild. Killebrew scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances, while Dillehay went 3-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four runs gave Killebrew a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Kendal Bryant, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Creek Wood has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-3 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. The win got Blackman back to even at 6-6.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Blackman hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .363. However, it's not like Creek Wood struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Blackman couldn't quite finish off Creek Wood when the teams last played back in March of 2023 and fell 2-0. Will Blackman 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.
