Panthers
| 04/29/25 vs Woodridge | 12 |
| 04/28/25 @ Cloverleaf | 19 |
| 04/24/25 @ Streetsboro | 7 |
| 04/23/25 @ Woodridge | 15 |
| 04/22/25 vs Field | 1 |
| + 10 more games |
The Norton Panthers will venture away from home to take on the Ellet Orangemen at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Norton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.4 runs per game this season.
Norton gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. Everything went their way against Woodridge as they made off with a 12-2 win. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won eight in a row.
Norton let Addison Calo and Chloe Womble run wild. Calo went 2-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and two RBI, while Womble went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Those two triples gave Calo a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Tatum Harris, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Norton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Ellet had already won 12 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it 13 on Tuesday. They walked away with a 6-1 win over the Rebels.
Rylie Sprouse spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Grace Norman, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Riley Kearns was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Ellet pushed their record up to 15-3 with the victory, which was their seventh straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Norton, the victory got them back to even at 7-7-1.
Both Norton and Ellet just can't seem to miss. The Panthers have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.7 hits per game. However, it's not like Ellet struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Norton might still be hurting after the 14-4 defeat they got from Ellet in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
