Rantoul was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They lost 9-2 to the Villa Grove Blue Devils. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Rantoul of the 11-3 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2023.
For Villa Grove's part, Logan Lillard made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. Lillard has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. Lillard was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Izzy Dodd was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Alison Pangburn was another key contributor, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
Rantoul's loss dropped their record down to 7-19. As for Villa Grove, they have been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 12 matches, which provided a massive bump to their 18-12-1 record this season.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Rantoul will square off against Danville at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Villa Grove, they will head out on the road to take on Okaw Valley at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Villa Grove is looking to tack on another W to their five-game streak on the road.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
