The Nickerson Panthers will square off against the Hesston Swathers at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Nickerson has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the contest with seven straight defeats, while Hesston will come in with four straight wins.
Nickerson fell victim to Pratt and their airtight pitching crew on Thursday. They came up short against the Greenbacks, falling 15-0. That's two games in a row now that the Panthers have lost by exactly 15 runs.
Meanwhile, Hesston got the win against Larned last Friday by a conclusive 17-3. The Swathers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Brenlyn Richmond made a splash no matter where she played. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Wendy Roth and Kaylee Harris did most of the damage at the plate: Roth went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Harris went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Raegan Eilert, who went 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI.
Hesston was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .406. They are 4-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Hesston pushed their record up to 7-5 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Nickerson, their loss dropped their record down to 2-8.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Nickerson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .418. However, it's not like Hesston struggles in that department as they've averaged .327. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Nickerson might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Hesston when the teams last played back in April of 2024. 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.
