Softball Game Preview: Manchester Panthers vs. Northwest Indians

For the second straight game, Manchester will face off against Northwest. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Indians at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing is sure in Manchester's favor as the squad sits on seven straight wins at home while Northwest has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.

Manchester had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Northwest on Monday. The Panthers blew past the Indians 12-2. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.

The team relied heavily on Alli Hodgkinson, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Kailyn Eshbaugh, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Manchester kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in ten consecutive contests.

Northwest's defeat dropped their record down to 2-10. As for Manchester, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-5 record this season.

Northwest's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Wednesday. Manchester has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.2 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Northwest, though, as they've been averaging only 2.1 strikeouts. Will Manchester keep running through batters, or will the Indians buck the trend? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.