The Northwestern Tigers are taking a road trip to square off against the Tipton Blue Devils at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Northwestern is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.3 runs per game this season.
Northwestern barely beat Manchester the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Tigers put the hurt on the Squires with a sharp 16-7 victory on Wednesday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Tigers as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Stevie-Rae Hedges was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her six plate appearances with one home run and three runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.
Avery Madden
| 05/06/26 @ Manchester | 4 |
| 04/29/26 vs Southwood | 2 |
| 04/25/26 vs Madison-Grant | 2 |
| 04/22/26 vs Whitko | 2 |
| 05/04/26 vs Northfield | 1 |
In other batting news, Avery Madden was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three runs, three doubles, and four RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Grace Fischer, who went 2-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
Northwestern hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Tipton fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Elwood on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 14-11 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Panthers. The Blue Devils haven't had much luck with the Panthers recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Ella Lobeck put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over eight innings while giving up just two earned (and 12 unearned) runs off 13 hits. Lobeck was also big at the plate, going 2-for-6 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Anya Cline made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-5 with one home run and two RBI. Makenna Comer was another key player, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and one run.
The victory got Northwestern back to even at 7-7. As for Tipton, their loss dropped their record down to 5-10.
Tipton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Northwestern has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.2 hits per game. It's a different story for Tipton, though, as they've been averaging 10.1 hits. Given Northwestern's sizable advantage in that area, the Blue Devils will need to find a way to close that gap.
Northwestern got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in May of 2025 against Tipton by a conclusive 13-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
