Tri-Valley is a perfect 7-0 against Deer Creek-Mackinaw since April of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Vikings will be playing at home against the Chiefs at 4:30 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Tri-Valley sitting on seven straight wins and Deer Creek-Mackinaw on four.
Tri-Valley came out on top against Heyworth on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run third inning. The Vikings took their match against the Hornets 8-5.
Ellie Dehner
| 04/30/25 @ Heyworth | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs St. Joseph-Ogden | 1 |
| 04/10/25 vs Fieldcrest | 0 |
| 04/07/25 vs El Paso-Gridley | 2 |
Ellie Dehner looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Paige Fesler was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Zoey Whittaker, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Deer Creek-Mackinaw hadn't done well against Lexington recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Chiefs came out on top against the Minutemen by a score of 9-5. The game was the first time the Chiefs have beaten the Minutemen on their field since April 29, 2015.
Mackenzie Knowles made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Knowles was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and one double. Those four hits gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Byrkleigh Kraft and Lexi Cottingham did most of the damage at the plate: Kraft went 4-for-5 with three runs, while Cottingham went 2-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. Those three runs gave Kraft a new career-high. Payton Schweigert was another key player, going 1-for-2 with four RBI.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in three consecutive contests.
Tri-Valley's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-2-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Deer Creek-Mackinaw, their victory bumped their record up to 12-6.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Tri-Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. However, it's not like Deer Creek-Mackinaw struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tri-Valley skirted past Deer Creek-Mackinaw 6-5 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Chiefs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
