The Sullivan Golden Arrows will face off against the Terre Haute North Vigo Patriots at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Sullivan turned things around against Greencastle on Wednesday. They never let the Tiger Cubs get on the board and left with an 8-0 victory.
Calli Stearley looked comfortable as she pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Sullivan got a massive performance out of Rachel Eslinger, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double. That home run marked the first that Eslinger has launched this season. Hallie Howard was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Sullivan kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greencastle only managed three hits.
Meanwhile, Terre Haute North Vigo came tearing into Monday's game with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Tiger Cubs with a sharp 21-2 win.
Kenzie Zigler was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Amelia Kelley, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and four RBI.
Terre Haute North Vigo's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-5. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.9 runs on average over those games. As for Sullivan, their victory bumped their record up to 12-10.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sullivan hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. However, it's not like Terre Haute North Vigo struggles in that department as they've averaged .387. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sullivan took their win against Terre Haute North Vigo in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 25-11 score. Do the Golden Arrows have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Patriots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
