Softball Game Preview: Mulberry Grove Aces vs. Lincolnwood Lancers

The Mulberry Grove Aces will take on the Lincolnwood Lancers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.

The home team had come away the winner the last five times Mulberry Grove and Vandalia had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Aces were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Vandals on Monday. The result was nothing new for the Aces, who have now won four matchups by six runs or more so far this season.

Lily Johnson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than 11 strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4. That stolen base marked the first that she snagged this season.

In other batting news, Lola Johnson was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Stone, who scored three runs while going 3-for-4.

Mulberry Grove kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous four contests, Lincolnwood brought some dynamite into their most recent game. They never let Litchfield get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory on Monday. Considering the Lancers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.

The win snapped Lincolnwood's losing streak at four games and leaves them with a 7-9 record. As for Mulberry Grove, their victory bumped their record up to 5-3.

Mulberry Grove skirted past Lincolnwood 2-0 when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Do the Aces have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lancers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.