The Hillsdale Falcons will square off against the Norwayne Bobcats at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Monday, Hillsdale made easy work of Waynedale and carried off a 13-1 victory. The win continues a trend for the Falcons in their matchups with the Golden Bears: they've now won seven in a row.
Jordyn Fickes was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Taylor Schmitz was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and one RBI.
Hillsdale was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. They are a perfect 12-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, while Norwayne put up some runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Dalton. The Bobcats blew past the Bulldogs 9-0.
Abby Workman made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over six innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Makenna Heyden, who fired off three home runs, four runs, and five RBI while going 4-for-4. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Kylie Heyden, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
Norwayne has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Hillsdale, their win bumped their record up to 16-6.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hillsdale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Norwayne struggles in that department as they've averaged .459. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hillsdale couldn't quite finish off Norwayne in their previous meeting last Wednesday and fell 10-8. Will the Falcons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
