vs
| 05/01/24 - Away | 0-10 L |
| 04/28/23 - Home | 11-1 W |
| 04/21/22 - Away | 5-3 W |
| 04/15/22 - Home | 1-2 L |
| 05/20/21 - Away | 7-8 L |
| + 5 more games |
Carlinville and Southwestern are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2017, but likely not for long. The Cavaliers will welcome the Piasa Birds at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Carlinville is coming into the game on a four-game losing streak.
Tuesday just wasn't the day for Carlinville's offense. They lost 13-0 to Gillespie on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Southwestern, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They put the hurt on Pana with a sharp 13-2 victory on Tuesday. The Piasa Birds haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Ian Brantley made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Blake Rimbey and Reed Campbell did most of the damage at the plate: Rimbey went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Campbell went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Those two hits gave Rimbey a new career-high. Owen Gray was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI and one run.
Southwestern always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .567. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pana only posted an OBP of .348.
Carlinville's defeat dropped their record down to 3-9. As for Southwestern, their victory bumped their record up to 5-12.
Southwestern's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Carlinville has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Southwestern, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will Carlinville keep running through batters, or will the Piasa Birds buck the trend?
Carlinville suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Southwestern in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Cavaliers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
