The Wheeling Wildcats will head out to face off against the Saint Viator Lions at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Wheeling is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.4 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with eight defeats in a row, Wheeling turned things around against Waukegan on Saturday. They put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 21-1 victory. The Wildcats not only won on Saturday, but they posted their biggest win since April 6th (when they won 21-0).
Olivia Aquino made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with two runs and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Viansa Pollina, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with seven RBI, three runs, and one double. That's the most runs she has posted since back in May of 2025. Mia Smith was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Wheeling was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are 5-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Saint Viator was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their tenth straight loss. They came up short against Joliet Catholic, falling 15-2.
Ava Moreno made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two RBI, and one double.
Saint Viator's defeat dropped their record down to 3-21. As for Wheeling, their record is now 8-11.
Saint Viator's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Wheeling has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.8 hits per game. It's a different story for Saint Viator, though, as they've been averaging 11.5 hits. Given Wheeling's sizable advantage in that area, the Lions will need to find a way to close that gap.
Wheeling couldn't quite finish off Saint Viator when the teams last played back in April of 2019 and fell 5-3. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
