The Geneseo Maple Leafs will challenge the Sterling Golden Warriors at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Geneseo is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.1 runs per game this season.
Geneseo is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Rock Island just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell just short of the Rocks by a score of 6-5.
Kendyl Wassenhove
| 05/08/25 vs Rock Island | 6 |
| 05/06/25 @ Moline | 8 |
| 05/01/25 vs Galesburg | 5 |
| 04/30/25 vs Erie-Prophetstown | 5 |
Kendyl Wassenhove spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Lauren Piquard was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season. Avery Kennedy was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run.
Meanwhile, Sterling had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Monday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Boilermakers a 3-0 shutout.
Laura Shumard looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, Layla Wright and Mya Lira did most of the damage at the plate: Wright went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI, while Lira went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run and one double.
Sterling pushed their record up to 16-5 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.1 runs on average over those games. As for Geneseo, their defeat dropped their record down to 20-8.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Geneseo hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .393. However, it's not like Sterling struggles in that department as they've averaged .333. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Geneseo couldn't quite get it done against Sterling in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 5-0. Can the Maple Leafs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
