Oak Creek has won six straight games at home, while Wisconsin Lutheran has won six straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Knights will welcome the Vikings at 5:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Oak Creek 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Oak Creek is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Wisconsin's top teams: Franklin, who was ranked 17th at the time (Oak Creek was ranked seventh). The Knights fell 6-1 to the Sabers on Thursday. The Knights' defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Oak Creek saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lyla Bray, who went 1-for-3 with one double. Claire Mank also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin Lutheran got the win against Menomonee Falls on Wednesday by a conclusive 9-1. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won 12 games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Sidney Schroeder spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Zhana Guenther, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Reese Grudzielanek, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Wisconsin Lutheran's victory bumped their record up to 14-1. As for Oak Creek, their loss dropped their record down to 13-4.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Oak Creek has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .458. However, it's not like Wisconsin Lutheran struggles in that department as they've averaged .484. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Oak Creek came up short against Wisconsin Lutheran in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 5-2. Can the Knights avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
