Jersey is 2-8 against Gillespie since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Miners at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
It was a proper cat-fight when Jersey faced off against Greenfield/Northwestern on Monday. The Panthers walked away with a 6-3 victory over the Tigers. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive win against them.
Jersey's victory was truly a team effort as six different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Anna Kribs, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Gillespie never got on the board in their matchup on Monday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Nokomis on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 19-3 margin over the Redskins. With that win, the Miners brought their scoring average up to 8.2 runs per game.
Sadie Sholtis made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She tossed four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one hit in four consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, three doubles, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2025.
In other batting news, Laci Schuckenbrock was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2025. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Parish, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and four RBI.
Gillespie always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .742. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Jersey now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Gillespie, their record is now 4-1.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Jersey hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .316. However, it's not like Gillespie struggles in that department as they've averaged .364. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jersey came up short against Gillespie when the teams last played back in March of 2025, falling 4-0. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
