The Pioneer Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Benton Central Bison at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Pioneer is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11 runs per game this season.
Pioneer lost 11-2 to Logansport on Monday. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest runs Pioneer has scored all season.
Lois Layer was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Benton Central had to endure a 17-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against Frontier on Monday by a score of 10-0 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). Benton Central's offense finally found a way to get into gear: the high-octane performance was a 180-degree turn from their last three games.
Annie Lank tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits over five innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Benton Central got a massive performance out of Azlee Reynolds, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a double. Another player making a difference was Mariyah Rich, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
This is the second loss in a row for Pioneer and nudges their season record down to 17-6. As for Benton Central, their win ended a nine-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 1-16.
Benton Central's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pioneer has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .517. It's a different story for Benton Central, though, as they've only averaged .308. Will they be able to contain Pioneer's hitters?
Pioneer might still be hurting after the 17-4 loss they got from Benton Central when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Thankfully for Pioneer, Braelynn Hattendorf (who fired off two home runs, five runs, and five RBI while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
