Softball Game Preview: Delavan Panthers vs. Richwoods Knights

The Delavan Panthers are taking a road trip to take on the Richwoods Knights at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Delavan is coming into the match on a three-game losing streak.

It was a proper cat-fight when Delavan faced off against Cuba/Spoon River Valley on Monday. The Panthers might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 4-3 to the Wildcats, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Richwoods, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They walked away with a 5-1 victory over Urbana on Monday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Knights as it put an end to their six-game losing streak.

Cici Robinson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up 13 Ks.

On the hitting side, Richwoods let Paige Sarraf and Leah Shaffer run wild. Sarraf earned two runs and three stolen bases, while Shaffer went 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one RBI. Those three stolen bases gave Sarraf a new career-high. Emersyn Carley also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Richwoods' victory bumped their record up to 3-13. As for Delavan, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-14.

Everything went Delavan's way against Richwoods in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Delavan made off with a 10-3 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.