The Panther Valley Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Pine Grove Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Panther Valley will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Our Lady of Lourdes Regional on Thursday. The Panthers put the hurt on the Red Raiders with a sharp 19-4 win.
Morgan O'Brien was a standout: she got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. Brooklynn Mika also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Panther Valley lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post two or more home runs.
Meanwhile, Pine Grove got themselves on the board against Mahanoy Area on Thursday, but Mahanoy Area never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Golden Bears. The high-scoring effort was just what the Cardinals needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
Jamie Dinger made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two RBI.
In other batting news, Pine Grove let Callee Leffler and Meadow Umbenhauer run wild. Leffler went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI, while Umbenhauer went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most runs Umbenhauer has posted since back in March. Lily Flynn was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Pine Grove's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-2. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.6 runs over those games. As for Panther Valley, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-7 record this season.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Panther Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .505. However, it's not like Pine Grove struggles in that department as they've averaged .463. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Panther Valley suffered a grim 12-0 defeat to Pine Grove in their previous matchup back in April. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
