The Okawville Rockets will head out on the road to square off against the Steeleville Warriors at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Okawville will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
On Thursday, Okawville was able to grind out a solid victory over Sparta, taking the game 12-7.
Okawville let Jaycie Buss and Kenley Hackstadt run wild. Buss went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Hackstadt went a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Lilly Cragen, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Okawville hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Steeleville, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Wednesday. Everything went their way against Gibault Catholic last Thursday as they made off with an 8-2 win.
Corinne Mueller made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
In other batting news, Zoey Wolf was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Karsen Wedemeyer was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Steeleville has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.3 runs over those games. As for Okawville, their record is now 10-6.
Okawville's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. The Rockets have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Steeleville, though, as they've been averaging only 0.7 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Okawville continue to outrun the ball?
Okawville took their win against Steeleville when the teams last played back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 10-3 score. Will the Rockets repeat their success, or do the Warriors have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
