Alleman is 0-10 against East Moline United since May of 2019 but things could change on Thursday. The Pioneers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Panthers at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Alleman had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Galesburg on Tuesday. The Pioneers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Silver Streaks a 10-0 shutout. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Pioneers considering their two-run performance the game before.
Rhylee McMeekan was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Kendall Possin, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Alleman always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .560. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, East Moline United won against Sherrard on Monday with nine runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Tuesday. The Panthers beat Moline by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 9-8. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Samantha Verstraete made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chloe Ledford, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Miah Berhenke was another key player, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run.
East Moline United's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Alleman, their win bumped their record up to 10-19.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Alleman hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .322. However, it's not like East Moline United struggles in that department as they've averaged .335. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Alleman suffered a grim 11-0 defeat to East Moline United when the teams last played back in April. Will the Pioneers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
