The Springboro Panthers will head out to square off against the Milford Eagles at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Springboro is coming into the contest hot, having won their last eight games.
On Wednesday, Springboro needed a bit of extra time to put away Fairmont. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Firebirds, sneaking past 8-6.
Katie Jonas spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and two unearned) runs on ten hits.
At the plate, Vanessa Hornfeck was excellent, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Bella Miller, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Springboro kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Fairmont only managed eight hits.
Meanwhile, Milford came into Friday's match having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over Turpin on Friday. Considering the Eagles have won five games by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Meghan McClellan made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 14 over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lanie McCoy, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April of 2024. Maddie Varner was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Springboro pushed their record up to 11-3 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.0 runs over those games. As for Milford, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Springboro has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Milford struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Springboro suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Milford in their previous matchup back in April of 2019. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
