Kankakee Valley is a perfect 8-0 against Wheeler since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Kougars will square off against the Bearcats at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Kankakee Valley gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by an 11-4 margin over Hobart. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Kougars have posted against the Brickies since May 11, 2021.
Mallorie Rose
| 04/10/25 @ Hobart | 11 |
| 05/16/24 vs Highland | 7 |
| 04/10/24 @ Andrean | 6 |
| 05/11/24 vs Downers Grove North | 5 |
| 05/28/24 vs New Prairie | 4 |
Mallorie Rose was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Those 11 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three RBI and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Savannah Michalski, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-1. Madalynn Hemphill was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Wheeler was able to grind out a solid win over North Newton on Thursday, taking the game 6-2. The Bearcats haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Like Kankakee Valley, Wheeler also got a great game from a two-way player: Grace Gabriel. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Gabriel was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Abby Allen was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double.
Kankakee Valley has started the season off flawlessly and has a 2-0 record to show for it. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 11.0 runs this season. As for Wheeler, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Kankakee Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Wheeler in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Kougars since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
