For the second straight game, Valparaiso will face off against Merrillville. The Vikings will be playing in front of their home fans against the Pirates at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Valparaiso's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Merrillville's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Valparaiso's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by an 11-0 margin over Merrillville. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Vikings considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
Caden Crowell
| 04/29/25 @ Merrillville | 14 |
| 04/22/25 @ Portage | 12 |
| 04/15/25 vs Crown Point | 7 |
| 04/08/25 vs Lake Central | 3 |
| 05/22/24 @ Crown Point | 11 |
| + 3 more games |
Caden Crowell was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 14 over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Valparaiso is undefeated when Crowell posts two or more runs, but 3-5 otherwise.
In other batting news, Gabe Bush was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Trent Gill, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Valparaiso is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.6 runs over those games. As for Merrillville, their loss dropped their record down to 3-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Valparaiso has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Merrillville struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
