Softball Game Preview: Havana Ducks vs. Midwest Central/Illini Central Raiders

Havana is a perfect 4-0 against Midwest Central/Illini Central since April of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Ducks will be playing at home against the Raiders at 4:30 p.m. The timing is sure in Havana's favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while Midwest Central/Illini Central has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.

While Havana's victory against Cuba/Spoon River Valley wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Ducks won by a run and slipped past the Wildcats 2-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Ducks have posted since March 21st.

Hannah Hodgson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Havana's victory was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Karlie Hurst, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base.

Meanwhile, Midwest Central/Illini Central came up short against Heyworth on Tuesday and fell 8-5.

Grace Meeks made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Another was Addison Friedrich, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Havana is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-2-1 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for Midwest Central/Illini Central, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-11.

Havana beat Midwest Central/Illini Central 7-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Ducks repeat their success, or do the Raiders have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.