Softball Game Preview: Marion Harding Presidents vs. River Valley Vikings

For the second straight game, Marion Harding will face off against River Valley. The Presidents will be playing in front of their home fans against the Vikings at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Marion Harding has given up an average of 14.6 runs per game this season, but Wednesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Tuesday just wasn't the day for Marion Harding's offense. They came up short against River Valley on Tuesday, falling 31-0. The Presidents' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.

For River Valley's part, Kylie Eastep made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Eastep has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances. Those four runs gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, Olivia Spires was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, five runs, and five RBI. Those five runs gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Addi Braun, who went 4-for-6 with four runs and four RBI.

River Valley pushed their record up to 10-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.6 runs over those games. As for Marion Harding, their loss dropped their record down to 3-8.