vs
| 04/30/24 - Away | 2-9 L |
| 04/18/24 - Home | 7-3 W |
| 04/20/23 - Away | 3-2 W |
| 04/03/23 - Home | 8-4 W |
| 04/26/22 - Away | 6-4 W |
| + 5 more games |
Licking Valley is 8-2 against Licking Heights since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Panthers will head out to face off against the Hornets at 5:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Licking Heights will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Licking Valley extended their winning streak to five on Monday. The Panthers' pitcher stepped up to hand Zanesville a 12-0 shutout. Considering the Panthers have won four contests by more than eight runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Tori Baughman made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Baughman was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double. That double was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on D'Neya Dennis, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-3. She also hit two doubles, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Emory Whisner, who went 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI.
Licking Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .700. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Zanesville only posted an OBP of .125.
Meanwhile, Licking Heights came tearing into Wednesday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 10-6 win over the Redskins.
Like Licking Valley, Licking Heights also got a great game from a two-way player: Lydia Rauch. She pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits. Rauch was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Licking Heights let Alissa West and Lily Meidl run wild. West went 3-for-4 with three runs and one triple, while Meidl scored two runs while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Von Bargen, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Licking Valley's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Licking Heights, their record is now 8-5.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Licking Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Licking Heights struggles in that department as they've averaged .327. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Licking Valley might still be hurting after the 9-2 loss they got from Licking Heights when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
