Softball Game Preview: Chatfield Gophers vs. Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs

Chatfield has gone 9-1 against Plainview-Elgin-Millville recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Gophers are taking a road trip to challenge the Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. Chatfield is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.

Chatfield took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They had just enough and edged out Pine Island 14-13. The high-scoring effort was just what the Gophers needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.

Katryn Johnson made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits. Johnson was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run.

In other batting news, Makenna Dornack was incredible, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Brynn Horsman was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.

Chatfield kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for Plainview-Elgin-Millville's offense. They lost 18-0 to Cotter on Tuesday. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly 18 runs.

Chatfield's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for Plainview-Elgin-Millville, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 2-8.

Everything went Chatfield's way against Plainview-Elgin-Millville in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Chatfield made off with a 13-2 win. Do the Gophers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.