Pekin is a perfect 6-0 against Normal Community since June of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Dragons will square off against the Ironmen at 4:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Pekin has three straight victories, Normal Community has nine straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While Pekin didn't have the best season last year (they finished 12-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 7-2 win over Richwoods on Monday.
Zoe Lindahl
| 03/31/25 vs Richwoods | 12 |
| 03/29/25 vs Kankakee | 7 |
| 03/22/25 vs Brimfield | 6 |
| 03/18/25 vs Normal Community | 11 |
Zoe Lindahl made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. 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 1-for-4 with one home run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sarah Baughman, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two runs. Another player making a difference was Jaeleigh Decker, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Normal Community didn't have quite enough to beat Tolono Unity on Thursday and fell 8-7. That's two games in a row now that the Ironmen have lost by just one run.
Tatum Yokley and Bailey Engel stepped up to the plate in a big way. Yokley scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Engel scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Pekin's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Normal Community, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-6.
Normal Community's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pekin has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. It's a different story for Normal Community, though, as they've only averaged .349. Will they be able to contain Pekin's hitters?
Pekin beat Normal Community 6-3 in their previous meeting back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Dragons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
