The Rolling Meadows Mustangs will head out to challenge the Schaumburg Saxons at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday. Schaumburg took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Rolling Meadows, who comes in off a win.
Rolling Meadows will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Addison Trail on Wednesday. The Mustangs came out on top against the Blazers by a score of 13-8. Considering the Mustangs' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Rolling Meadows got a massive performance out of Caylee Del Boccio, who went 4-for-5 with four runs, two stolen bases, and two doubles. What's more, Del Boccio posted two RBI, the most she's had over her last 11 games. Another player making a difference was Mary Linker, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with four runs, three RBI, and one double.
Rolling Meadows always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .533. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Schaumburg fell victim to Palatine and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Pirates by a score of 2-0. That makes it the first time this season the Saxons have let down their home crowd.
Alana Nieto spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances.
Schaumburg's loss dropped their record down to 13-4. As for Rolling Meadows, their victory bumped their record up to 11-15.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rolling Meadows hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .315. However, it's not like Schaumburg struggles in that department as they've averaged .324. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rolling Meadows got the 'W' in their previous matchup back in April against Schaumburg by a conclusive 14-7 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
