Softball Game Preview: Parkers Prairie Panthers vs. Upsala Cardinals

Parkers Prairie hasn't had much luck against Upsala recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will take on the Cardinals at 4:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

On Thursday, Parkers Prairie made easy work of Brandon/Evansville and carried off a 10-4 victory. With that win, the Panthers brought their scoring average up to 6.1 runs per game.

Evy Grinager looked comfortable as she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Anya Wagner, who went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Anna Helling, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.

Parkers Prairie was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .310 or higher in four consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Upsala waltzed into their game on Wednesday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They put the hurt on the Bears with a sharp 12-2 victory.

Upsala pushed their record up to 10-8 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.4 runs over those games. As for Parkers Prairie, their record is now 8-6.

Parkers Prairie came up short against Upsala in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, falling 6-2. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.