The Rochelle Hubs will head out on the road to square off against the St. Bede Bruins at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Having struggled with nine defeats in a row, Rochelle turned things around against South Beloit on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Sobos. The Hubs not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since April 3rd (when they won 17-7).
Lauren Dyer spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Mya Martinez was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted over her last 11 matches. Jaclynn Lira was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Rochelle kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 4-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, St. Bede's hitters rose to the challenge against a Bulldogs pitching crew that boasted an average of only 3.82 runs allowed on Monday. The Bruins blew past Durand 13-1. The Bruins might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by six runs or more this season.
Macy Strauch made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Strauch was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Macy Kelly was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Another player making a difference was Ava Balestri, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI.
St. Bede's victory ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 9-5. As for Rochelle, the win was their first at home , bumping their record up to 4-12.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rochelle hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .319. However, it's not like St. Bede struggles in that department as they've averaged .396. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
