Madison Plains hasn't had much luck against Fairbanks recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Golden Eagles will be playing in front of their home fans against the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Madison Plains barely beat Greenon the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Golden Eagles' pitcher stepped up to hand the Knights an 11-0 shutout on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Golden Eagles in their matchups with the Knights: they've now won five in a row.
Joy McLoughlin
| 04/22/25 @ Greenon | 11 |
| 03/29/25 vs Mt. Gilead | 10 |
| 04/06/24 vs East Clinton | 10 |
| 04/19/25 vs Marion Harding | 8 |
| 04/07/25 vs Cedarville | 8 |
Joy McLoughlin made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Those 11 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lyla Coil, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI. Abi Lindsey was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Madison Plains kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greenon only managed one hit.
Meanwhile, Fairbanks waltzed into their game on Thursday with 13 straight wins... but they left with 14. They blew past the Red Raiders 13-7.
Like Madison Plains, Fairbanks also got a great game from a two-way player: Macy Kise. She struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up six earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Kise was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Jenna Dee was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. She has been hot recently, having posted three or more hits the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Elizabeth Gregory, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Fairbanks' win was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.2 runs over those games. As for Madison Plains, their win bumped their record up to 13-4.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Madison Plains hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .394. However, it's not like Fairbanks struggles in that department as they've averaged .430. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Madison Plains suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Fairbanks in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Golden Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
