The Geneseo Maple Leafs will head out to challenge the Rock Island Rocks at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Geneseo's pitching crew has only allowed 3.7 runs per game this season, so Rock Island's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
If Geneseo beats Rock Island with seven runs on Thursday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two contests with that exact score. The Maple Leafs came out on top against Moline by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Maple Leafs in their matchups with the Maroons: they've now won six in a row.
Kendyl Wassenhove spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on six hits and racked up 13 Ks.
On the hitting side, Geneseo got a big performance out of Remlee Dwyer, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. That's the most hits Dwyer has posted since back in April. McKenna Johnson was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs and one double.
Geneseo was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .423. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Moline only posted a batting average of .222.
Meanwhile, Rock Island was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They came up short against East Moline United, falling 17-2.
Ella DeJonghe made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Ella Leahy, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one triple.
Rock Island's loss dropped their record down to 8-14. As for Geneseo, their win bumped their record up to 19-9-1.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Geneseo hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Rock Island struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Geneseo skirted past Rock Island 7-5 in their previous matchup back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Maple Leafs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
