Speedway is 5-0 against Heritage Christian since April of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Speedway Sparkplugs will head out on the road to challenge the Heritage Christian Eagles at 5:30 p.m. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Speedway took a loss when they played away from home last Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Covenant Christian with a sharp 11-4 win. The high-scoring effort was just what Speedway needed considering they were shutout in their previous game.
Hayli Clampitt spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Kathryn Hill was incredible, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Ella Hedrick, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Heritage Christian came into Thursday's contest having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They had just enough and edged Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory out 7-6.
Alayna Tesnar made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and five unearned) runs off four hits. Tesnar was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Anna Hilbrich, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with a stolen base and two RBI. Samantha Hartsock was another key contributor, going 2-for-4 with a triple.
Speedway's record now sits at 9-12. As for Heritage Christian, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-8.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both team's pitchers. Speedway hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .316. However, it's not like Heritage Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .330. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Speedway skirted past Heritage Christian 2-1 when the teams last played back in May of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Speedway since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
