The Iowa-Grant Panthers will take on the Dodgeville Dodgers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Iowa-Grant is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Iowa-Grant had been on a three-game streak of scoring at least ten runs, but Cuba City put an end to it on Thursday. The Panthers came up short against the Cubans, falling 10-2. The Panthers haven't had much luck with the Cubans recently, as the team has come up short the last five times they've met.
Iowa-Grant saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lakyn Holman, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Dodgeville had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Thursday. They walked away with a 6-2 victory over the Hillmen.
Ava Lord spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kayla Brom, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run and two runs. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Rylee Forsyth, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Dodgeville kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Platteville only managed three hits.
Iowa-Grant's defeat dropped their record down to 11-6. As for Dodgeville, their win bumped their record up to 12-5.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Iowa-Grant hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .329. However, it's not like Dodgeville struggles in that department as they've averaged .328. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Iowa-Grant came out on top in a nail-biter against Dodgeville in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, sneaking past 7-5. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Dodgers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
