The Goshen RedHawks will head out on the road to square off against the Elkhart Lions at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Goshen made easy work of Bremen and carried off an 11-4 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the RedHawks.
Abi Blankenship made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). Blankenship was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rachel Aceves, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Another player making a difference was Emi Ortiz, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Elkhart took on South Bend Riley on Thursday. The Lions had just enough and edged out the Wildcats 6-5. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Wildcats recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Laci Stimac spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Ava Walker was excellent, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Addison Reid also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Elkhart pushed their record up to 4-2 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Goshen, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Goshen has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Elkhart struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Goshen might still be hurting after the 11-2 loss they got from Elkhart in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the RedHawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
