Winamac has won 12 straight games at home (dating back to last season), while North Newton has won 12 straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Warriors will host the Spartans at 5:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Winamac 3.7, North Newton 1.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Winamac is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Logansport just ended the team's eight-game winning streak on Thursday. They lost 12-2 to the Berries. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Warriors, who until this matchup were averaging 3.69 runs allowed.
Winamac saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Adrianna Hall, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, North Newton got themselves on the board against North Judson-San Pierre on Wednesday, but North Judson-San Pierre never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Bluejays with a sharp 14-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won six contests by eight runs or more so far this season.
Sydney Rainford made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 14 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
In other batting news, June Busboom was a standout: she went 1-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Caylee Oxley, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
North Newton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as North Judson-San Pierre only posted an OBP of .125.
North Newton's win bumped their record up to 8-1-1. As for Winamac, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-2.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Winamac hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .374. However, it's not like North Newton struggles in that department as they've averaged .349. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Winamac couldn't quite finish off North Newton in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 and fell 2-0. Can the Warriors avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
