Softball Game Preview: Cleveland Clippers vs. Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers

The Cleveland Clippers will venture away from home to challenge the Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Cleveland has four straight victories, Minnesota Valley Lutheran has seven straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Cleveland came out on top against St. Mary's on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run second inning. The Clippers were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Knights. Considering the Clippers have won six matches by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Delaney Thompson made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 15 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaitlyn Flowers, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Taylor McCabe, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.

Cleveland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.1 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 10.6.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Valley Lutheran fell victim to Le Sueur-Henderson and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Giants, falling 15-0.

Minnesota Valley Lutheran's defeat dropped their record down to 3-12. As for Cleveland, their record now sits at 14-4.