The NorthWood Panthers will face off against the Elkhart Lions at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
NorthWood is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. Everything went their way against West Noble on Monday as they made off with a 16-1 win. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Ana Beachy made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Payton Sears was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Taryn Marcum, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
NorthWood was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .379. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .320 or higher every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Elkhart had already won two in a row and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They blew past the RedHawks 10-2.
Like NorthWood, Elkhart also got a great game from a two-way player: Anna Knight. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. Knight was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bailey Harris-Rogers, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two triples, two RBI, and one double. Those triples marked the first that she has hit this season. Ava Walker was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run.
Elkhart's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for NorthWood, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. NorthWood hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .357. However, it's not like Elkhart struggles in that department as they've averaged .352. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
NorthWood couldn't quite finish off Elkhart in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 5-3. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
