The Wheeler Bearcats will challenge the Highland Trojans at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Wheeler is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Wheeler came up short against Glenn on Thursday, falling 21-1. The match marked the Bearcats' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Cadence Piunti was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. She tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double.
In other batting news, Nora Howell made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Highland never let their opponents score on Thursday. They put the hurt on Boone Grove with a sharp 12-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Trojans, who have now won ten games by six runs or more so far this season.
The team relied heavily on Hailey Thomas, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple. Evie Rivera was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one RBI.
Highland's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 16-11. As for Wheeler, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 17-7.
Highland's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Wheeler has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.9 hits per game. It's a different story for Highland, though, as they've been averaging 9.8 hits. Given Wheeler's sizable advantage in that area, the Trojans will need to find a way to close that gap.
Wheeler took their win against Highland in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 13-5 score. Do the Bearcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
