The Hillsboro Indians will take on the Pickerington North Panthers in a tournament on Saturday. Hillsboro will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.
While Hillsboro's victory against Miami Trace wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Indians narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Panthers 9-7.
| 04/16/25 @ Miami Trace | 19 |
| 04/15/25 vs Miami Trace | 18 |
| 04/12/25 vs Sheridan | 13 |
| 04/12/25 vs Logan Elm | 8 |
| 04/09/25 vs Jackson | 6 |
| + 7 more games |
Camryn Spruell made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 19 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and six unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Hillsboro let Madison Dearmon and Merideth Dietrick run wild. Dearmon went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while Dietrick went 3-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. Those three runs gave Dietrick a new career-high. Addley Miller was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Hillsboro kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Pickerington North duked it out with Kenton Ridge on Friday. The Panthers came up short against the Cougars, falling 12-3. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Pickerington North saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Maria Gent, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That home run was Gent's first of the season. Another was Kaylani Meadows, who went 2-for-3 with one run.
Hillsboro's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for Pickerington North, their loss dropped their record down to 3-8.
Pickerington North's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Hillsboro has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Pickerington North, though, as they've been averaging 9.4 hits. Given Hillsboro's sizable advantage in that area, the Panthers will need to find a way to close that gap.
Hillsboro couldn't quite get it done against Pickerington North in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 as they fell 6-3. Will the Indians have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
