The Brooks Eagles will head out on the road to challenge the Thornwood Thunderbirds at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Thornwood will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Brooks extended their winning streak to four on Wednesday. The Eagles never let Kenwood get on the board and left with an 18-0 victory. The contest marked the Eagles' most dominant win of the season.
Amaya Estrada made a big impact no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Estrada was also big at the plate, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with five stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kelsey Rodriguez, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with five stolen bases and three runs. Jomarie Figueroa was another key player, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Brooks always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .857. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
While Thornwood didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They were the clear victors by a 19-7 margin over Hammond Central on Wednesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Thunderbirds as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Like Brooks, Thornwood also got a great game from a two-way player: Dajah Claggette. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and four unearned) runs off only two hits. Those nine strikeouts gave Claggette a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Milan Crain was a standout: she got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Cyncere Parson, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base.
The win was their first at home , bumping their record up to 6-4. As for Thornwood, their record now sits at 8-5.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Brooks hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Thornwood struggles in that department as they've averaged .472. 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.
