Softball Game Preview: Amherst Falcons vs. Manawa Wolves

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Previous Games

04/17/25 - Away	1-3 L
04/22/24 - Away	4-1 W
04/12/24 - Home	1-5 L
04/25/23 - Home	2-3 L
04/24/23 - Away	3-2 W
+ 5 more games

Amherst and Manawa are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2016, but likely not for long. The Falcons will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wolves at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Amherst fell victim to Bonduel and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Bears, falling 9-0. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last six times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Meanwhile, Manawa won against Shiocton last Tuesday with four runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. The Wolves sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 win over Wittenberg-Birnamwood. The victory continues a trend for the Wolves in their matchups with the Chargers: they've now won three in a row.

Olivia Zielke made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple and one RBI. That triple was her first of the season.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lily Krenke, who went 1-for-4 with one home run. She is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as she's now launched at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Bre Bonikowske was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Manawa's win bumped their record up to 10-2. As for Amherst, their loss was their fourth straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 8-10.

Amherst couldn't quite finish off Manawa in their previous meeting back in April and fell 3-1. Will the Falcons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.