Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg will take on the Shelbyville Rams at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
On Tuesday, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg got the win against Cumberland by a conclusive 10-1. The result was nothing new for Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, who have now won 15 matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Kendra Hayes and Samantha Hayes made a splash while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Hayes pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Samantha struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Kendra has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. At bat, Hayes went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs, while Samantha went 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI. That's the most hits Kendra has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Clarissa Johnson was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Katelyn VonBehrens was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .424. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cumberland only posted a batting average of .200.
Meanwhile, Shelbyville came into Wednesday's game having lost 14 straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They blew past Taylorville 14-4 on Wednesday. The Rams' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
The team relied heavily on Kenzie Jones, who went 1-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Abigail Robison, who went 1-for-2 with three runs and one RBI.
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg's win was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 23-5. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.1 runs over those games. As for Shelbyville, the win was their first on the road , bumping their record up to 2-15.
Shelbyville's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .319. It's a different story for Shelbyville, though, as they've only averaged .255. Will they be able to contain Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg's hitters?
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg might still be hurting after the 11-2 loss they got from Shelbyville when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
