Softball Game Preview: Effingham Hearts vs. St. Anthony Bulldogs

Effingham hasn't had much luck against St. Anthony recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Hearts will host the Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. Effingham will be looking to extend their current 11-game winning streak.

While Effingham's win against Teutopolis wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Hearts skirted past the Wooden Shoes 5-3.

Saige Althoff made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ryley Engel, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Madi Kirk, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, St. Anthony's hitters rose to the challenge against a Cougars pitching crew that boasted an average of only four runs allowed on Wednesday. The Bulldogs put the hurt on Farina South Central with a sharp 14-5 victory. The result was nothing new for the Bulldogs, who have now won ten contests by six runs or more so far this season.

The win made it two in a row for St. Anthony and bumps their season record up to 12-10. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Effingham, their win bumped their record up to 20-6.

Everything went Effingham's way against St. Anthony when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as Effingham made off with a 14-8 victory. Will the Hearts repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.