Ithaca is 9-1 against Michigan Lutheran Seminary since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Yellowjackets will take on the Cardinals at 4:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Ithaca sitting on eight straight victories and Michigan Lutheran Seminary on four.
On Monday, Ithaca was able to grind out a solid win over Freeland, taking the game 8-4.
Ivy Davenport
| 05/05/25 vs Freeland | 12 |
| 05/02/25 @ Valley Lutheran | 16 |
| 04/30/25 @ Evart | 11 |
| 04/25/25 vs Central Montcalm | 16 |
| 04/23/25 @ Merrill | 14 |
| + 6 more games |
Ivy Davenport spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Emmalee Shankel, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted over her last 12 matches. Another player making a difference was Maeli Akin, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Michigan Lutheran Seminary never let their opponents score on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Saginaw as they made off with a 16-0 victory. Considering the Cardinals have won 12 contests by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Phoebe Schultz was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Schultz was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Ana Graves was excellent, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs and one RBI. London Retberg was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Michigan Lutheran Seminary hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least two batters in three consecutive games.
Ithaca pushed their record up to 17-3 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.9 runs over those games. As for Michigan Lutheran Seminary, their record is now 15-5.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ithaca hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Michigan Lutheran Seminary struggles in that department as they've averaged .379. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ithaca took their win against Michigan Lutheran Seminary when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 10-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Yellowjackets since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
