Chalker and Maplewood are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2017, but likely not for long. The Wildcats will be playing at home against the Rockets at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Maplewood will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Chalker extended their winning streak to three on Wednesday. The Wildcats put the hurt on Badger with a sharp 15-2 victory.
Tatum Hudak made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple was her first of the season.
Katelyn Cook
| 05/06/26 @ Badger | 3 |
| 05/04/26 vs Lordstown | 2 |
| 04/23/26 @ Bristol | 2 |
| 04/21/26 vs Windham | 2 |
| 04/17/26 @ Lordstown | 2 |
In other batting news, Katelyn Cook was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Abby Grimm was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.
Chalker always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .591. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Maplewood got themselves on the board against Cardinal on Friday, but Cardinal never followed suit. They blew past the Huskies 6-0.
Like Chalker, Maplewood also got a great game from a two-way player: Lexi Yannucci. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 12 over 6.2 innings pitched. Yannucci was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Claire Urchek, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Chalker's win bumped their record up to 8-4. As for Maplewood, their victory bumped their record up to 21-1.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Chalker has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Maplewood struggles in that department as they've averaged .479. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
