Softball Game Preview: Fort Atkinson Blackhawks vs. Oregon Panthers

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Previous Games

04/22/25 - Home	1-12 L
05/10/24 - Home	3-14 L
04/23/24 - Away	0-6 L
04/13/23 - Away	1-8 L
04/25/19 - Home	4-3 W
+ 5 more games

Fort Atkinson and Oregon are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2017, but likely not for long. The Blackhawks will take on the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Fort Atkinson is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 13-4 margin over Monona Grove on Tuesday. The game was the first time the Blackhawks have beaten the Silver Eagles on their field since April 18, 2019.

Mia Bilau spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits.

At the plate, Fort Atkinson let Olivia Rue and Olivia Knickrehm run wild. Rue went 2-for-3 with five RBI, two runs, and one double, while Knickrehm went 3-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and two RBI. That's the most runs Knickrehm has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Kinley Wargolet, who went 2-for-5 with two runs and one stolen base.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Fort Atkinson 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 three consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Oregon put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Beaver Dam a 1-0 shutout. The one-run effort marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.

Oregon's victory was their 11th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 17-0. As for Fort Atkinson, their record is now 6-10.

Fort Atkinson might still be hurting after the 12-1 loss they got from Oregon in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Can the Blackhawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.