Baseball Game Preview: Portland Panthers vs. Springfield Yellow Jackets

For the second straight game, Portland will face off against Springfield. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Yellow Jackets at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The last three games Portland has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Portland hadn't beaten Springfield on the road since April 15, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them on Thursday. The Panthers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

Kevin Cook tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Portland is 4-2 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 8-17 otherwise.

Jay Guthrie

Runs

04/24/25 @ Springfield	2
04/17/25 @ East Robertson	2
04/05/25 @ Clinton	2
04/11/25 vs Cane Ridge	1
04/09/25 @ Davidson Academy	1
+ 2 more games

On the hitting side, Jesiah Scharklet and Jay Guthrie did most of the damage at the plate: Scharklet went 1-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base, while Guthrie went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Portland is undefeated when Guthrie posts two or more runs, but 9-19 otherwise. Cayden Lane was another key player, getting on base in four of his six plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs.

Springfield is on a six-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 6-18. As for Portland, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a massive bump to their 12-19 record this season.