Merrillville is 0-10 against Valparaiso since May of 2021 but things could change on Tuesday. The Pirates will square off against the Vikings at 4:30 p.m.
Merrillville managed to slip by Wheeler the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Pirates came up short against the Bearcats on Thursday, falling 10-3.
Darnell Bowles was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Trevor Goodwin, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.
Valparaiso came out on top against Hammond Bishop Noll on Saturday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run third inning. The Vikings blew past the Warriors 11-1. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won four games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Corbin McConnachie looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over four innings pitched.
At the plate, Trent Gill and Grant McFarden did most of the damage at the plate: Gill went 2-for-5 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI, while McFarden went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Those two doubles gave Gill a new career-high. Another player making a difference was DJ Malloy, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Valparaiso kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.3 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 12.8.
Valparaiso has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for Merrillville, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.
Merrillville suffered a grim 19-0 defeat to Valparaiso in their previous matchup back in April of 2025. Can the Pirates avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
