The Iola-Scandinavia Thunderbirds will square off against the Pittsville Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Iola-Scandinavia barely beat Weyauwega-Fremont the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Thunderbirds were the clear victors by an 18-1 margin over the Warhawks on Monday. The win continues a trend for the Thunderbirds in their matchups with the Warhawks: they've now won nine in a row.
Rayanne Clendenning made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). Those hits marked the first that she allowed this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Maya Munoz and Katelin Rosenthal did most of the damage at the plate: Munoz scored two runs while going 1-for-3, while Rosenthal scored three runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Munoz also put up a double, which was her first of the season. Braelyn Jueds was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Iola-Scandinavia always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .649. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Pittsville entered their tilt with Spencer on Friday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They blew past the Rockets 12-2. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by exactly ten runs.
Like Iola-Scandinavia, Pittsville also got a great game from a two-way player: Lana Vollert. On the mound, she tossed 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Vollert was even better at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played.
In other batting news, Pittsville let Keyrra Knudson and Trinity Fox run wild. Knudson scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Fox scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Halle Friday, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one run.
Iola-Scandinavia's victory bumped their record up to 4-2. As for Pittsville, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Iola-Scandinavia has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Pittsville struggles in that department as they've averaged .457. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Iola-Scandinavia took their victory against Pittsville when the teams last played back in April of 2019 by a conclusive 10-0 score. Will the Thunderbirds repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
