Wheeler has gone a perfect 5-0 against Merrillville recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Bearcats will look to defend their home field against the Pirates at 4:30 p.m. Wheeler will be strutting in after a victory while Merrillville will be coming in after a loss.
Wheeler came out on top against Hammond Bishop Noll on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run first inning. The Bearcats took their contest against the Warriors 7-2. The win continues a trend for the Bearcats in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won nine in a row.
Grace Gabriel
| 04/22/25 @ Hammond Bishop Noll | 10 |
| 04/14/25 @ Illiana Christian | 11 |
| 04/10/25 @ North Newton | 11 |
| 04/03/25 vs Washington Township | 6 |
Grace Gabriel made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Faith Kromray was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. Abby Allen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Merrillville came up short against Chesterton on Wednesday, falling 17-1. The Pirates have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Elani Alvarez was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.
Wheeler's victory was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-3. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Merrillville, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-11.
Wheeler took their victory against Merrillville in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 10-0 score. Will the Bearcats repeat their success, or do the Pirates have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
