Willamette hasn't had much luck against South Medford recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Wolverines will welcome the Panthers at 4:00 p.m. Willamette is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Willamette is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 24 runs last Tuesday, they were much more limited against North Medford on Tuesday. They took a 4-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Black Tornado.
Willamette saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Macy Rush, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Meanwhile, South Medford came tearing into Tuesday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Olympians with a sharp 13-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won seven games by six runs or more so far this season.
Jordan Knutson made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Jayden Cote was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Luna Burns, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.
South Medford kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in four consecutive contests.
South Medford's victory bumped their record up to 9-4. As for Willamette, their loss dropped their record down to 7-6.
Willamette's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's match. The Wolverines have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for South Medford, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Willamette continue to outrun the ball?
Willamette might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from South Medford when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Wolverines avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
