Softball Game Preview: Heritage Hawks vs. Villa Grove Blue Devils

Heritage hasn't had much luck against Villa Grove recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Hawks will be playing in front of their home fans against the Blue Devils at 4:30 p.m. Heritage has given up an average of 16.8 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Heritage is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 15th straight game dating back to last season on Wednesday. They came up short against Oakwood, falling 14-0.

Meanwhile, Villa Grove waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They walked away with a 9-5 win over the Falcons.

Piper Kiser spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and four unearned) runs on six hits.

On the hitting side, Villa Grove got a big performance out of Izzy Dodd, who went 2-for-4 with one home run. Kinleigh Pellum was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Villa Grove kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in six consecutive matchups.

Heritage's loss dropped their record down to 0-12. As for Villa Grove, their victory bumped their record up to 8-3.

Heritage might still be hurting after the 16-1 defeat they got from Villa Grove in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Hawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.