Sterling has won eight straight games at home, while Geneseo has won eight straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Tuesday. The Golden Warriors will welcome the Maple Leafs at 4:30 p.m. Sterling is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
Sterling's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They came out on top against Kewanee by a score of 3-0.
Laura Shumard looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Sterling let Layla Wright and Mya Lira run wild. Wright went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI, while Lira went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run and one double. That run marked the first that Wright has scored this season.
Meanwhile, after a string of three wins, Geneseo's good fortune finally ran out on Thursday. They fell just short of Rock Island by a score of 6-5.
Kendyl Wassenhove spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Lauren Piquard was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one home run. Avery Kennedy was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run.
Sterling has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.1 runs over those games. As for Geneseo, their loss dropped their record down to 20-8.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sterling hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Geneseo struggles in that department as they've averaged .393. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sterling was able to grind out a solid victory over Geneseo in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, winning 5-0. Do the Golden Warriors have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Maple Leafs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
