The Pana Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Vandalia Vandals at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Vandalia will be up against a hot Pana team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. The Panthers put the hurt on Litchfield with a sharp 13-1 victory on Monday.
Joey Laker made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Shelby Ashcraft, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Izzy Reed was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Pana kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Litchfield only managed four hits.
Meanwhile, Vandalia never let their opponents score on Tuesday. They blew past Ramsey 17-0. The Vandals haven't had any issues with the Rams recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Like Pana, Vandalia also got a great game from a two-way player: Mady McCall. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits over four innings pitched. McCall was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two RBI.
In other batting news, Madison Lupton was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Elaina Hagy, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
Pana's record is now 13-10-1. As for Vandalia, their record now sits at 7-16.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pana hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .321. However, it's not like Vandalia struggles in that department as they've averaged .317. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pana skirted past Vandalia 5-4 when the teams last played back in April. 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.
