The Sherrard Tigers will square off against the Kewanee Boilermakers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Sherrard took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Monmouth-Roseville an 11-0 shutout. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 contests by six runs or more this season.
Danni Neppl made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in May of 2024. She was also stellar in the batter's box, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 3-for-3. Those home runs were her first of the season.
In other batting news, Makenzy Moran was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Marisa Neels, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Kewanee never got on the board in their matchup on Wednesday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Newman Central Catholic on Thursday. They put the hurt on the Comets with a sharp 13-0 win. The Boilermakers not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since April 24th (when they won 21-5).
Like Sherrard, Kewanee also got a great game from a two-way player: Kalleigh Gale. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. Gale has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, five RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Kewanee let Addy Yepsen and Remy Hicks run wild. Yepsen went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Hicks got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. Macee Pickering was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Kewanee always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Newman Central Catholic only posted an OBP of .158.
Sherrard has been performing well recently as they've won eight of their last ten games. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.9 runs over those games. As for Kewanee, their win bumped their record up to 16-12.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sherrard has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .463. However, it's not like Kewanee struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
