The Danville Vikings will face off against the Westville Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Danville had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Oakwood on Tuesday. The Vikings were the clear victors by a 14-1 margin over the Comets. That looming 14-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Vikings yet this season.
Kendall Rannenbarger was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ka'Leah Bellik, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Kealee Alyea was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
Danville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Westville got themselves on the board against Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Tuesday, but Paxton-Buckley-Loda never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 13-0 victory. Considering the Tigers have won 12 contests by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Danville, Westville also got a great game from a two-way player: Lilly Kiesel. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. Kiesel was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one home run.
In other batting news, Laney Cook was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Peyton Sabalaskey, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and three RBI.
Westville has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.3 runs over those games. As for Danville, their victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-4.
Danville came out on top in a nail-biter against Westville when the teams last played back in March of 2024, sneaking past 7-6. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Tigers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
