Wheeling is 0-8 against Conant since April of 2017 but things could change on Tuesday. The Wildcats will look to defend their home field against the Cougars at 4:45 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Wheeling was handed a six-run loss in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Monday. They won by a run and slipped past Elmwood Park 10-9.
Olivia Aquino spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and four unearned) runs on ten hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, Caitlyn Fitzgerald was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run and two runs. Jessica Niznik was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.
Wheeling always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .585. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Elmwood Park only posted an OBP of .421.
Meanwhile, Conant got themselves on the board against Elk Grove last Friday, but Elk Grove never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Grenadiers. That's two games straight that the Cougars have won by exactly ten runs.
Payton Ackman made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Ackman was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
Ackman wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Sophia Gomez, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs. Gomez is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's snagged at least one every time she's taken the field this season. Another was Morgan Schiffner, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Conant now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Wheeling, the victory got them back to even at 1-1.
Wheeling couldn't quite finish off Conant in their previous meeting back in May of 2025 and fell 5-3. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
