The Niles West Wolves will head out on the road to face off against the Regina Dominican Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Niles West turned things around against Buffalo Grove on Saturday. They came out on top against the Bison by a score of 11-7. Considering the Wolves' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Penny Hutchison
| 05/02/26 @ Buffalo Grove | 1 |
| 04/30/26 @ Vernon Hills | 2 |
| 04/28/26 vs Maine West | 1 |
Penny Hutchison made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed seven innings while giving up three earned (and four unearned) runs off seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with two runs and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Ava Kolbe was incredible, going 4-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2025. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Hester, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and one run.
Niles West was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .405. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Regina Dominican). They were the clear victors by a 24-4 margin over Francis W. Parker on Wednesday. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Colonels: they've now won nine in a row.
Addyson Hogrefe and Addison Volkers made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Hogrefe pitched two innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Meanwhile, Volkers pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. At bat, Hogrefe went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI, while Volkers got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and two RBI. That home run was Volkers' first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ashlynn Keps, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. Payton Aylward also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.
Niles West's record now sits at 8-13. As for Regina Dominican, their record is now 10-3.
Niles West got the 'W' when the teams last played back in May of 2025 against Regina Dominican by a conclusive 16-3 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wolves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
