South Medford is a perfect 10-0 against Willamette since April of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Panthers will challenge the Wolverines at 4:00 p.m. South Medford will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
South Medford barely beat Sprague the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Panthers blew past the Olympians 13-2 on Tuesday. With that victory, the Panthers brought their scoring average up to 6.5 runs per game.
Jordan Knutson
| 04/22/25 @ Sprague | 12 |
| 04/15/25 vs Grants Pass | 15 |
| 04/12/25 vs South Eugene | 7 |
| 04/08/25 @ Sheldon | 11 |
Jordan Knutson made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, South Medford got a massive performance out of Jayden Cote, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits Cote has posted since back in March. Luna Burns was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.
South Medford kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 24 runs the game before, Willamette was a bit more limited in their contest on Tuesday. They took a 4-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of North Medford.
Willamette saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Macy Rush, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Willamette has also been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last eight games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-6 record this season. As for South Medford, their record is now 9-4.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. South Medford hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .379. However, it's not like Willamette struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went South Medford's way against Willamette when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as South Medford made off with a 10-0 win. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wolverines turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
