Softball Game Preview: Richwoods Knights vs. Bloomington Purple Raiders

Richwoods hasn't had much luck against Bloomington recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Knights will head out to take on the Purple Raiders at 4:30 p.m. Neither Richwoods nor Bloomington posted many runs in their last games, so it might be the pitching crews that decide this one.

Tuesday just wasn't the day for Richwoods' offense. They lost 15-0 to Champaign Central on Tuesday. The Knights' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.

Meanwhile, Bloomington hadn't done well against Normal West recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Purple Raiders came out on top in a nail-biter against the Wildcats, sneaking past 2-1. Winning may never get old, but the Purple Raiders sure are getting used to it with their fifth in a row.

Reilly Vetter spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.

On the hitting side, Bloomington saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Abi Witt, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI. That double was Witt's first of the season.

Bloomington pushed their record up to 8-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.33 runs across that stretch. As for Richwoods, their loss dropped their record down to 2-10.

Richwoods might still be hurting after the 15-3 defeat they got from Bloomington in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Knights avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.