After flying high against Portage last Wednesday, Valparaiso came back down to earth. The Valparaiso Vikings fell just short of the Wheeler Bearcats by a score of 3-1 on Thursday. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Valparaiso of the 11-1 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in April of 2023.
Valparaiso saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Reese Clausing, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
On Wheeler's side, Clara Phariss made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). Phariss has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances. Phariss was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Valparaiso's defeat dropped their record down to 8-8. As for Wheeler, their victory bumped their record up to 6-4.
Valparaiso will head out on the road to square off against Merrillville at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Valparaiso is facing Merrillville at the right time seeing as Merrillville is stuck on a 14-game losing streak. As for Wheeler, they will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against Lake Station Edison at 5:00 p.m. Wheeler's pitching crew has only allowed two runs per game this season, so Lake Station Edison's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
