Softball Game Preview: Waterloo Pirates vs. Wisconsin Heights Vanguards

Waterloo is 9-1 against Wisconsin Heights since May of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Pirates are taking a road trip to face off against the Vanguards at 5:00 p.m. Waterloo's hitters haven't had much luck over their past four contests, but Thursday's match will give them a chance to turn things around.

Waterloo fell victim to Marshall and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Cardinals by a score of 1-0.

Ally Schaumann

Base on Balls Against

04/29/25 @ Marshall	2
04/28/25 @ Deerfield	1
04/24/25 vs Belleville	1
04/22/25 @ Cambridge	2
04/17/25 vs Columbus	1
+ 2 more games

Ally Schaumann spent all 7.2 innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on nine hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.

The home team had come away the winner the last seven times Wisconsin Heights and Cambridge had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Vanguards sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 win over the Bluejays on Tuesday. The game was the first time the Vanguards have beaten the Bluejays on their field since May 2, 2019.

The team relied heavily on Haley Wipperfurth, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Mya Luko also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Wisconsin Heights kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Wisconsin Heights now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Waterloo, they now have a losing record of 6-7.

Waterloo took their victory against Wisconsin Heights in their previous meeting two weeks ago by a conclusive 15-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.