The Fort Wayne Northrop Bruins will square off against the Norwell Knights at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Thursday, Fort Wayne Northrop was able to grind out a solid win over Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, taking the game 10-5. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bruins.
Brilee Day
| 05/15/25 @ Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran | 8 |
| 05/10/25 vs Northridge | 7 |
| 05/07/25 vs Fort Wayne North Side | 8 |
Brilee Day made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, Baylee Huth was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. Karlie Bruce was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Fort Wayne Northrop kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 7-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Norwell got the win against Bluffton on Thursday by a conclusive 17-9. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won 11 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Fort Wayne Northrop, Norwell also got a great game from a two-way player: Kayla Watkins. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Watkins was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Norwell got a massive performance out of Abby Wagner, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI. Those four hits gave Wagner a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Leah Werling, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one double.
Norwell has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Fort Wayne Northrop, the win got them back to even at 9-9.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Fort Wayne Northrop hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .349. However, it's not like Norwell struggles in that department as they've averaged .374. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fort Wayne Northrop couldn't quite get it done against Norwell in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 8-5. Will the Bruins 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.
