Red Wing is 0-5 against Mankato West since May of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Wingers will venture away from home to take on the Scarlets at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Red Wing was able to grind out a solid victory over John Marshall, taking the game 5-1.
Stella Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Molly Jacobson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Mankato West made easy work of Albert Lea on Tuesday and carried off a 17-3 win. With that victory, the Scarlets brought their scoring average up to 7.4 runs per game.
Evelyn Erickson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed 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 three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. That run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Mankato West let Lyla Baker and Lydia Banse run wild. Baker went 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs, while Banse went 2-for-3 with one home run and five RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Jillian Olsen, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
Mankato West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Albert Lea only posted an OBP of .273.
Red Wing's record is now 3-4. As for Mankato West, their record now sits at 5-3.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Red Wing hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.6 home runs per game. However, it's not like Mankato West struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Red Wing might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Mankato West in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Wingers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
