Panther Valley is 0-5 against Williams Valley since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Panther Valley Panthers will look to defend their home field against the Williams Valley Vikings at 4:30 p.m.
Panther Valley might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 10-9 to Mahanoy Area, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. Panther Valley has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Mikayla Yuricheck made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 5-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Yuricheck is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's stolen at least two every time she's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Morgan Orsulak, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5.
Even though they lost, Panther Valley hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Mahanoy Area struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, Williams Valley can now show off three landslide victories after their most recent matchup on Monday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Line Mountain a 10-0 shutout.
Sage Smeltz was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits while striking out eight over six innings pitched. Smeltz was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
In other batting news, Ella Kobularik was excellent, going 1-for-3 with a home run and a stolen base. Quin Smeltz was another key contributor, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Panther Valley now has a losing record at 1-2. As for Williams Valley, their victory was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-2.
Thursday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Panther Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .377. However, it's not like Williams Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .404. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Panther Valley might still be hurting after the 17-2 loss they got from Williams Valley when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Will Panther Valley 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
