The Waverly Vikings will head out to challenge the Seward Bluejays at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Waverly 2.9, Seward 3.2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Waverly barely beat Pius X the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Vikings never let the Thunderbolts get on the board and left with a 7-0 win on Tuesday. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by seven runs or more this season.
Brennan Miller
| 04/29/25 @ Pius X | 12 |
| 04/21/25 vs Mount Michael Benedictine | 8 |
| 04/15/25 @ Gretna East | 9 |
| 04/05/25 @ Standing Bear | 12 |
The result came thanks to Brennan Miller's shutout, as he gave up just a hit and racked up 12 Ks. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Hunter Thoms and Bruin Sampson did most of the damage at the plate: Thoms went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double, while Sampson went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most runs Thoms has posted over his last 11 matchups. Trev Greve also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Waverly was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .393. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pius X only posted a batting average of .045.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Seward made sure to put some runs up on the board against Fairbury on Tuesday. The Bluejays were the clear victors by a 12-0 margin over the Jeffs. The Bluejays haven't had any issues with the Jeffs recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Keyan Schadwinkel was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 14 over six innings pitched. Schadwinkel was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Connor Sveeggen was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one run. Quinton Hibbert was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Seward's win was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-6. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.4 runs over those games. As for Waverly, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 12 of their last 14 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-7 record this season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Waverly has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Seward struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Waverly came out on top in a nail-biter against Seward when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
