Whiting hasn't had much luck against Andrean recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Oilers will challenge the Fighting 59ers at 5:00 p.m.
Whiting fell victim to Westville and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They lost 10-0 to the Blackhawks. Having soared to a lofty 12 runs in the game before, the Oilers' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Meanwhile, Andrean had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They were the clear victors by a 10-2 margin over Boone Grove on Monday. Considering the Fighting 59ers have won ten matches by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Sadie Drousias spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on seven hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Maddy McCoy was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Maggie Voliva, who went 2-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI.
Andrean always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .588. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Boone Grove only posted an OBP of .310.
Andrean has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Whiting, their loss dropped their record down to 7-10.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Whiting hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Andrean struggles in that department as they've averaged .399. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Whiting suffered a grim 18-0 defeat to Andrean in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can the Oilers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
