The Itasca Wampus Cats will challenge the Dawson Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Itasca will be strutting in after a victory while Dawson will be coming in after a loss.
Itasca headed into their last match having not scored more than two runs for three straight, but Gholson let them put that streak behind them. Itasca's pitcher stepped up to hand Gholson a 17-0 shutout on Friday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Wampus Cats as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Rylee Markwardt was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Markwardt was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Emma Malke was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Abigail Gurrusquieta was another key player, scoring three runs while going 2-for-2.
Itasca always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .808. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Dawson was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their sixth straight defeat. They came up short against Blooming Grove, falling 16-1.
Kenna Stoker made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2. She also put up a triple, which was her first of the season.
Dawson's loss dropped their record down to 3-10. As for Itasca, their victory bumped their record up to 2-5.
Dawson's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Itasca hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .446. It's a different story for Dawson, though, as they've only averaged .247. Will they be able to contain Itasca's hitters?
Itasca suffered a grim 21-0 defeat to Dawson in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. Will Itasca have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
