Peotone is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Grant Park is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Blue Devils will welcome the Dragons at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Peotone's pitching crew has only allowed 3.1 runs per game this season, so Grant Park's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Peotone's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They came out on top against Streator by a score of 1-0 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Sophie Klawitter
| 04/22/25 vs Streator | 12 |
| 04/21/25 @ Streator | 14 |
| 04/18/25 @ Dwight | 13 |
| 04/17/25 @ Marian Catholic | 10 |
| 04/15/25 @ Lisle | 15 |
| + 2 more games |
Sophie Klawitter made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than ten strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Grant Park hadn't done well against Watseka recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Dragons blew past the Warriors 14-4. The result was nothing new for the Dragons, who have now won seven contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Peotone, Grant Park also got a great game from a two-way player: Cheyenne Hayes. On the mound, she struck out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts Hayes has posted since back in March. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 5-for-5 with one home run and four RBI.
In other batting news, Claire Sluis was incredible, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Ava Desiderio, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Grant Park kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 games they've averaged 9.
Grant Park is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Peotone, their victory bumped their record up to 7-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Peotone has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 12.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Grant Park struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Peotone beat Grant Park 5-0 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Do the Blue Devils have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Dragons turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
