Collinsville is 2-8 against Belleville West since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Kahoks will be playing at home against the Maroons at 4:30 p.m. This will be Collinsville's first chance to prove their worth in the conference.
Collinsville is headed into the contest having just posted their closest victory since March 20th on Monday. They had just enough and edged out Marquette Catholic 8-7. The win continues a trend for the Kahoks in their matchups with the Explorers: they've now won six in a row.
Braden Henson
| 03/29/25 @ Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy | 1 |
| 03/22/25 @ Centennial | 1 |
Braden Henson and Adam Bovinett were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, Henson tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Bovinett pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Henson also tossed no walks, which is notable because Collinsville is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 3-6 otherwise. At bat, Henson scored a run while going 1-for-3, while Bovinett got on base in all four of his plate appearances.
In other batting news, Carter Harrington and Grant Darden did most of the damage at the plate: Harrington scored two runs while going 2-for-3, while Darden scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Harrington is becoming a predictor of Collinsville's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 2-6 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Luke Robinson, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Collinsville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .545. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Marquette Catholic only posted an OBP of .303.
Belleville West never got on the board in their matchup on Thursday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Centralia last Friday. They put the hurt on the Orphans with a sharp 11-1 victory. The win was some much needed relief for the Maroons as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Casey Fultz made a splash while hitting and pitching. He pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Braden Fournie, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that he hit this season. Ethan Hofmeister was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Belleville West's victory bumped their record up to 7-5. As for Collinsville, their win bumped their record up to 5-7.
Belleville West's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Collinsville has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .455. It's a different story for Belleville West, though, as they've only averaged .364. Will they be able to contain Collinsville's hitters?
Collinsville skirted past Belleville West 15-14 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Kahoks repeat their success, or do the Maroons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
