Softball Preview: Mishawaka Marian Knights vs. New Prairie Cougars
Mishawaka Marian has been on the road for two straight, but on Monday they'll finally head home. They will take on the New Prairie Cougars at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Mishawaka Marian is headed into the game fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Michigan City with a sharp 26-1 victory on Friday. With that win, Mishawaka Marian brought their scoring average up to 8.2 runs per game.
Kaitlin Pratt made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). Pratt has been consistent recently: she hasn't pitched less than five innings every time she's pitched this season. Pratt was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all six of her plate appearances with two runs, a triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Mishawaka Marian got a massive performance out of Katie Didion, who scored five runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5. Katie Miligan was another key contributor, getting on base in five of her six plate appearances with five runs, a triple, and an RBI.
Meanwhile, New Prairie waltzed into their contest on Saturday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They came out on top against the Trojans by a score of 11-6. 11 seems to be a good number for New Prairie as the squad scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Like Mishawaka Marian, New Prairie also got a great game from a two-way player: Ava Geyer. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 15 over 5.1 innings pitched. Geyer was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Ella Chelminiak was incredible, scoring four runs while going 4-for-5. Another player making a difference was Emma Luther, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Mishawaka Marian's win bumped their record up to 2-3. As for New Prairie, they pushed their record up to 7-2 with that victory, which was their 13th straight on the road dating back to last season.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Mishawaka Marian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .478. However, it's not like New Prairie struggles in that department as they've averaged .456. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mishawaka Marian might still be hurting after the 10-1 loss they got from New Prairie in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Will Mishawaka Marian have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
