Lockport has won four straight games at home, while Naperville Central has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Saturday. The Porters will welcome the Redhawks at 10:00 a.m. Lockport's pitching crew has only allowed 2.2 runs per game this season, so Naperville Central's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Lockport is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Illinois' top teams: Lincoln-Way Central, who was ranked first at the time (Lockport was ranked 19th). The Porters came up short against the Knights on Thursday, falling 8-2. The Porters' loss signaled the end of their six-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, Naperville Central made easy work of West Aurora on Friday and carried off an 11-1 victory. The Redhawks haven't had any issues with the Blackhawks recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Avery Miller made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs.
In other batting news, Cali Lenz was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Natalie Lau was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Naperville Central was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .435. They are 9-2 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Lockport's defeat dropped their record down to 14-9. As for Naperville Central, their victory bumped their record up to 12-9.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lockport hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like Naperville Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .343. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Lockport's way against Naperville Central in their previous matchup back in May of 2023, as Lockport made off with a 15-5 win. Will the Porters repeat their success, or do the Redhawks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
