Softball Game Preview: Rich Township Raptors vs. Thornton Wildcats

For the second straight game, Rich Township will face off against Thornton. The Raptors will challenge the Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Rich Township's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last three matchups.

Rich Township's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Thornton with a sharp 16-0 win. The Raptors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by eight runs or more this season.

Lillian Skelly

Stolen Base

05/07/25 vs Thornton	4
05/05/25 @ Thornton	2
04/30/25 vs Thornwood	2

Lillian Skelly was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits over four innings pitched. Skelly was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with four stolen bases, three runs, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged two or more in each of the last three games she's played.

In other batting news, Kasidy Whitaker was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. She has been hot recently, having also posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played. Ezri Adami was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.

Rich Township was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .650. The last time their batting average was this high was back in April of 2024.

Rich Township's record now sits at 8-12. As for Thornton, they are on a 24-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-13.

Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rich Township has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .567. However, it's not like Thornton struggles in that department as they've averaged .502. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.