The Hononegah Indians are packing up and heading out on the road for their first away game of the season: they will square off against the Rock Island Rocks at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
If Hononegah beats Rock Island with five runs on Saturday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two contests with that exact score. The Indians beat Huntley last Tuesday by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 5-2. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Indians.
Aislyn Palmer spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on two hits.
Peyton Klikno
| 04/01/25 vs Huntley | 2 |
| 03/18/25 vs Antioch | 1 |
| 05/16/24 @ Harlem | 1 |
| 05/06/24 @ Freeport | 1 |
| 05/04/24 vs Stillman Valley | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Peyton Klikno, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-2. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Kaelyn Kelly was another key player, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3.
Rock Island hadn't beaten East Moline United on the road since May 1, 2021 but that history sure didn't bother them on Thursday. The Rocks walked away with a 4-1 victory over the Panthers.
Maddie Carroll made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, A'Rion Lonergan was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Another player making a difference was Mallory Hudnall, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Rock Island hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in three consecutive games.
Hononegah pushed their record up to 2-0 with the win, which was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.5 runs over those games. As for Rock Island, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season.
Hononegah beat Rock Island 8-5 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Indians since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
