The Prospect Panthers will square off against the Lincoln Lions at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Lincoln will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Prospect extended their winning streak to four on Wednesday. The Panthers walked away with an 11-8 victory over Christopher.
Kendall Tabora made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing seven innings while giving up just two earned (and six unearned) runs off 11 hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Dani Rauscher, who scored three runs and stole four bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Isa Shields, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lincoln, who bounced back after a loss on the road two weeks ago. They blew past Silver Creek 12-3 on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won six contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Carina Reuterskiold spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Olivia Diaz and Jocelynn Perez did most of the damage at the plate: Diaz went 2-for-4 with one home run and five RBI, while Perez scored two runs while going 3-for-4. What's more, Perez posted two doubles, the most she's had since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Serenity Hernandez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Lincoln kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Lincoln is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Prospect, their victory bumped their record up to 9-4.
Prospect's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Lincoln, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Prospect continue to outrun the ball?
Prospect suffered a grim 16-6 defeat to Lincoln in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
