Softball Game Preview: North Mac Panthers vs. Gillespie Miners

North Mac hasn't had much luck against Gillespie recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will venture away from home to face off against the Miners at 4:30 p.m.

It was a proper cat-fight when North Mac took on Greenfield/Northwestern on Wednesday. The two teams finished up on equal footing with a 5-5 tie. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Panthers as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Gillespie, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They came out on top against Carlinville by a score of 6-3 on Wednesday. The Miners haven't had any issues with the Cavaliers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.

Paxton Reid spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Gillespie let Helaina Scott and Sadie Sholtis run wild. Scott went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run, while Sholtis went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Those three RBI gave Scott a new career-high. Delaney Taylor was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

Gillespie's win was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-6. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.1 runs over those games. North Mac's draw makes their record 2-14-1 this season.

North Mac suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Gillespie in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.