The Naperville Central Redhawks will challenge the Oswego East Wolves at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Naperville Central will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
While Naperville Central's win against Waubonsie Valley wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Redhawks narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Warriors 7-5.
Avery Miller spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Naperville Central let Riley Silvers and Cali Lenz run wild. Silvers went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Lenz went 3-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Natalie Lau was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Oswego East came up short against Oswego on Wednesday, falling 13-2. The defeat continues a trend for the Wolves in their meetings with the Panthers: they've now lost four in a row.
Olivia Owles was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Naperville Central pushed their record up to 20-12 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Oswego East, their loss dropped their record down to 18-14.
Oswego East's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Saturday. Naperville Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Oswego East, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will Naperville Central keep running through batters, or will the Wolves buck the trend?
Naperville Central beat Oswego East 9-6 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will the Redhawks repeat their success, or do the Wolves have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
