Softball Game Preview: London Red Raiders vs. Northwestern Warriors

Red Raiders

Runs

04/24/25 @ Fairbanks	7
04/23/25 @ Urbana	11
04/21/25 vs Urbana	11
04/18/25 vs Indian Lake	9
04/16/25 vs Tecumseh	12
+ 12 more games

The London Red Raiders are taking a road trip to square off against the Northwestern Warriors at 5:15 p.m. on Friday. London is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.9 runs per game this season.

London is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Fairbanks just ended the team's eight-game winning streak on Thursday. They came up short against the Panthers, falling 13-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Red Raiders have suffered since April 17, 2024.

Gwyn Wieber made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Samantha Webb, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double.

Indian Lake hit Northwestern with a four-run second inning on Wednesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Warriors lost 13-3 to the Lakers. The loss continues a trend for the Warriors in their meetings with the Lakers: they've now lost seven in a row.

Northwestern saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Azzy Hammer, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double. Bayleigh Ryder also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

London's defeat dropped their record down to 14-3. As for Northwestern, their loss dropped their record down to 8-7.

Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. London hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .403. However, it's not like Northwestern struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Everything went London's way against Northwestern when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as London made off with an 11-4 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Red Raiders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.