The Deer Creek-Mackinaw Chiefs will take on the Illinois Valley Central Grey Ghosts at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Deer Creek-Mackinaw is coming into the matchup on a four-game losing streak.
Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn hit Deer Creek-Mackinaw with a four-run sixth inning on Saturday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Chiefs lost 8-1 to the Rockets.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Brody Williams, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Illinois Valley Central beat Prairie Central 5-1 on Monday. The win continues a trend for the Grey Ghosts in their matchups with the Hawks: they've now won six in a row.
Grant Bramer spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up nine Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Brody Garceau, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Keegan Schol was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Illinois Valley Central hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive contests.
Illinois Valley Central's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-10. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Deer Creek-Mackinaw, their loss dropped their record down to 11-13.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Deer Creek-Mackinaw has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Illinois Valley Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Illinois Valley Central in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Chiefs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
