Deer Creek-Mackinaw is 0-5 against Brimfield since April of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Chiefs will head out to take on the Indians at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Deer Creek-Mackinaw comes in on four and Brimfield on six.
On Wednesday, Deer Creek-Mackinaw needed a bit of extra time to put away Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. They had just enough and edged out the Falcons 4-3.
Mackenzie Knowles made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over eight innings while giving up three earned runs off seven hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Knowles wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Lexi Cottingham, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, while Brimfield put up plenty of runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Cuba/Spoon River Valley. The Indians blew past the Wildcats 15-0. Considering the Indians have won nine games by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Brooke Allen and Layni Linthicum did most of the damage at the plate: Allen scored three runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances, while Linthicum went 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four RBI gave Linthicum a new career-high. Josie Wiewel also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Brimfield always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .581. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cuba/Spoon River Valley only posted an OBP of .143.
Brimfield pushed their record up to 15-2 with the victory, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 10.8 runs this season. As for Deer Creek-Mackinaw, their record now sits at 6-4.
Both Deer Creek-Mackinaw and Brimfield just can't seem to miss. The Chiefs have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. However, it's not like Brimfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 3.5 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw might still be hurting after the 14-2 defeat they got from Brimfield when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Can the Chiefs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
