The East Moline United Panthers are taking a road trip to take on the Sterling Golden Warriors at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. East Moline United will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, East Moline United made easy work of Geneseo and carried off a 13-3 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Emily Stevens made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, seven RBI, and one triple. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Miah Berhenke, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. Another player making a difference was Alyse Merrill, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
East Moline United kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Sterling fell victim to Rock Island and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Rocks, falling 10-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Golden Warriors have suffered against the Rocks since April 23, 2022.
Sterling saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lily Martinez, who went 1-for-2 with one double.
East Moline United's record is now 12-7. As for Sterling, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-5.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. East Moline United hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like Sterling struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
East Moline United came out on top in a nail-biter against Sterling in their previous meeting on April 9th, sneaking past 9-8. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
