Irish
| 05/08/25 vs Lincoln | 7 |
| 05/07/25 vs Normal West | 5 |
| 05/05/25 vs Champaign Central | 1 |
| 05/02/25 @ Champaign Central | 8 |
| 04/30/25 vs Danville | 10 |
| + 20 more games |
Peoria Notre Dame hasn't had much luck against Normal West recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Irish will head out on the road to challenge the Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. Peoria Notre Dame is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Peoria Notre Dame is headed into Friday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Thursday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-7 heartbreaker at the hands of Lincoln.
Ian Akers was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryton Blackford, who went 3-for-4 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Normal West got themselves on the board against Danville on Thursday, but Danville never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 16-0 margin over the Vikings. The Wildcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten games by six runs or more this season.
Sam McCully made a big impact no matter where he played. He struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). McCully was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Torin DeLaere, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Chase Knuth was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
The win made it two in a row for Normal West and bumps their season record up to 18-9. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.5 runs over those games. As for Peoria Notre Dame, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-14.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Peoria Notre Dame hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .323. However, it's not like Normal West struggles in that department as they've averaged .319. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Peoria Notre Dame suffered a grim 13-5 defeat to Normal West in their previous matchup on Wednesday. Can the Irish avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
