The Prairie Heights Panthers will square off against the Elkhart Christian Academy Eagles at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Prairie Heights is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with six defeats in a row, Prairie Heights turned things around against Edon on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 14-3 margin over the Bombers. Considering the Panthers have won four matchups by more than nine runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Hayley Hardy
| 05/09/25 @ Edon | 5 |
| 05/08/25 @ Westview | 4 |
| 04/14/25 @ Lakewood Park Christian | 4 |
| 03/26/25 @ New Haven | 4 |
| 04/17/25 vs West Noble | 1 |
Hayley Hardy made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. Hardy was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Prairie Heights got a big performance out of Emily McCrea, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Scofield, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Prairie Heights kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Elkhart Christian Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their ninth straight loss. They came up short against Lakeland, falling 11-0.
Elkhart Christian Academy saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Naomi Herbster, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one double. That double was Herbster's first of the season.
Prairie Heights' victory bumped their record up to 4-9. As for Elkhart Christian Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-9.
Prairie Heights' speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's game. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Elkhart Christian Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Prairie Heights continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Prairie Heights' way against Elkhart Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Prairie Heights made off with a 9-2 win. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
