The Greendale Panthers are taking a road trip to challenge the Milwaukee Reagan Huskies at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Greendale took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Riverside University/Meir a 15-0 shutout. The high-scoring effort was just what the Panthers needed considering they were shut out in their previous matchup.
Aubrey Cook was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Greendale got a massive performance out of Ella Padron, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs. That's the most stolen bases Padron has posted over her last 13 contests. Another player making a difference was Makayla Lewitzke, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Greendale hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee Reagan came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Redcats 24-4. Considering the Huskies have won 18 contests by more than eight runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Alyssa Frank-Kuzmiuk was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two RBI, and one double. Brooke Scott also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Milwaukee Reagan pushed their record up to 19-6 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.0 runs over those games. As for Greendale, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-8 record this season.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Greendale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .451. However, it's not like Milwaukee Reagan struggles in that department as they've averaged .636. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Greendale's way against Milwaukee Reagan in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Greendale made off with a 13-2 win. 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.
