The Knightstown Panthers are taking a road trip to face off against the Hagerstown Tigers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Knightstown is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Knightstown was handed a ten-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Franklin County 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since April 17th.
Mae Hersberger spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks. Those 11 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
Dylan Fausnaugh
| 05/02/25 vs Franklin County | 3 |
| 04/30/25 vs South Decatur | 2 |
| 04/25/25 @ Cowan | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory | 2 |
| 05/01/25 vs Connersville | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Dylan Fausnaugh, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Jaycie Cole was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Knightstown always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Hagerstown waltzed into their game on Thursday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They never let the Titans get on the board and left with an 11-0 win. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matches by six runs or more this season.
Rylan Young made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 15 over six innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one home run.
In other batting news, Allison Stinson was incredible, firing off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 3-for-4. Jerycha Allred also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Hagerstown pushed their record up to 10-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Knightstown, the victory got them back to even at 7-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Knightstown has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hagerstown struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Knightstown might still be hurting after the 11-1 loss they got from Hagerstown when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
