After two games on the road, Valparaiso is heading back home. They will take on the Hobart Brickies at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Valparaiso is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Valparaiso lost 11-1 to Lake Central on Tuesday. The defeat continues a trend for Valparaiso in their matchups with Lake Central: they've now lost four in a row.
Meanwhile, Hobart never let their opponents score on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Hammond Central as Hobart made off with a 13-0 victory. The high-scoring effort was just what Hobart needed considering they were shutout in their previous contest.
Morgan Ellenberger and Ella Hornak made a big impact no matter where they played. Throwing, Ellenberger struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Hornak struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). At bat, Ellenberger went 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and a double, while Hornak scored a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Hobart let Keirys Click and Nora Hornak loose on the outfield. Click scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances, while Hornak scored a run while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Payton Michael, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Valparaiso's loss dropped their record down to 10-12. As for Hobart, their win was their 14th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-6.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Valparaiso hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.8 home runs per game. However, it's not like Hobart struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.8. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Valparaiso came up short against Hobart in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, falling 10-7. Will Valparaiso have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
