Softball Recap: Hamilton Comes Up Short

Hamilton extended their losing streak to four on Thursday, dropping their season record down to 11-10 in the process. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-3 heartbreaker at the hands of the Illini West Chargers. That's two games in a row now that the Titans have lost by just one run.

As for Illini West, their win bumped their record up to 10-17. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory they have posted against Hamilton since May 2, 2019.

For Illini West's part, McKenzie Yeakey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 11 Ks.

On the hitting side, Illini West's win was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Karsyn Bliss, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Those two hits gave Bliss a new career-high. Olivia Johnson was another, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hamilton will challenge Quincy Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Illini West, they will take on Quincy at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The Blue Devils have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 8.14 runs per game on average), something the Chargers will no doubt try to take advantage of.