It’s back to the softball diamond for the KCII Area Game of the Week tonight as the Winfield-Mt. Union Wolves and Hillcrest Academy Ravens open the 2024 season in a Superconference showdown.

Winfield-Mt. Union hosts the Ravens following a 4-16 season in 2023. This included a 3-13 Superconference record which had the Wolves finish seventh. WMU had a team average of .246, on base percentage of .355, and slugging percentage of .318, with 106 hits, 112 runs and 79 RBI’s. With the loss of senior leaders Anna Anderson and Keely Malone, the Wolves will look for offense from Quin Smith, who as a freshman had the third most hits behind the two plus a .370 batting average. Smith also pitched for WMU last season, going 4-11 with a 5.86 ERA. Additional production is expected from returning starters Kellee Milks, Jessi Renken, Ella Kann, and Katie Miller.

The Raven softballers were 7-17 overall a year ago, 4-10, sixth in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division. Their seven total victories were their highest total since 2016. The Ravens hit .271 as a team with a .398 on base percentage and .316 slug with 119 runs on 131 hits. They were led at the plate by Delaney Shaw who hit .431 as a sophomore with 25 total hits. Fellow-sophomore Lydia Beachy had a team-best 20 driven in, and Malia Yoder scored a team high 23 runs her sophomore season. In the circle, the Ravens had a staff ERA of 9.78 with a 2.78WHIP in 116 innings with a .242 opponent average, giving up 183 hits, 162 earned runs and 140 walks with 120 strikeouts. Yoder threw 102 innings with a 6.89ERA, giving up 158 hits and 101 earned runs with 116Ks. Hillcrest Academy knocked off the Wolves 15-2 and 16-12 last season to snap what had been an eight-game losing streak to the Wolves. WMU still holds the slight advantage, going 13-10 in the series since 2009.

Listen to the Wolves and Ravens kick off their respective softball seasons tonight on the KCII3 Stream, available only at KCIIradio.com. JV gets things started at 5:30 p.m., the Roder Epoxy Pregame Show begins at 7, followed by first pitch in the KCII Area Game of the Week.