Willowbrook is 1-9 against Downers Grove South since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Warriors will look to defend their home field against the Mustangs at 4:45 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Willowbrook comes in on seven and Downers Grove South on three.
Willowbrook is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Proviso East with a sharp 21-1 victory on Wednesday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Warriors with their most commanding win of the season.
Kyliegh Miazga looked comfortable as she pitched 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Willowbrook let Allison Coppersmith and Marli Smrz run wild. Coppersmith got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and five RBI, while Smrz went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two doubles, and one triple. That's the most RBI Coppersmith has posted since back in March of 2025. The team also got some help courtesy of Savanna Bauman, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Willowbrook always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Proviso East only posted an OBP of .312.
Meanwhile, Downers Grove South won against Leyden on Tuesday with 13 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. The Mustangs were the clear victors by a 13-6 margin over Wheaton-Warrenville South. Considering the Mustangs have won seven contests by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Morgan Hahn spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Jordan Balsavich was a standout: she got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Addison Yurchak, who went 3-for-5 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Downers Grove South's win bumped their record up to 11-5. As for Willowbrook, their victory bumped their record up to 9-10.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Willowbrook hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Downers Grove South 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.
Willowbrook might still be hurting after the 11-4 loss they got from Downers Grove South when the teams last played back in May of 2025. Can the Warriors avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
