The DeKalb Barbs will be defending their home field for the first time this season when they go up against the Larkin Royals at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. DeKalb will be strutting in after a victory while Larkin will be coming in after a loss.
DeKalb will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Saturday, then bounced right back against Rochelle on Tuesday. The Barbs walked away with a 12-7 win over the Hubs. The matchup marked the Barbs' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Alaynna Johnson
| 03/24/26 @ Rochelle | 4 |
| 03/28/25 vs ITW David Speer Academy | 3 |
| 03/18/25 @ Belvidere | 3 |
| 05/21/25 @ Metea Valley | 2 |
| 05/08/25 @ Genoa-Kingston | 2 |
Alaynna Johnson and Gabby Kenney did most of the damage at the plate: Johnson went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple, while Kenney got on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run and five RBI. Those four hits gave Johnson a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Sarah Foltz, who went 3-for-5 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Larkin was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They lost 13-3 to Metea Valley.
Larkin saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Yesenia Escobar, who went 1-for-3 with two runs. Another was Ali Herrick, who got on base in two of her three plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
DeKalb's win was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-2. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for Larkin, their loss dropped their record down to 1-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. DeKalb has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Larkin struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
DeKalb got the 'W' when the teams last played back in May of 2025 against Larkin by a conclusive 12-2 score. Will the Barbs repeat their success, or do the Royals have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
