The Ridgeview Panthers will square off against the University Christian Christians at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Ridgeview will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Orange Park on Tuesday. The Panthers blew past the Raiders 12-3. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Raiders: they've now won seven in a row.
Saige Bialek
| 04/15/25 vs Orange Park | 10 |
| 04/14/25 vs Trinity Catholic | 11 |
| 04/08/25 vs Ponte Vedra | 6 |
| 04/07/25 @ Providence School | 5 |
| 04/02/25 vs Clay | 13 |
| 03/31/25 @ Bishop Snyder | 10 |
Saige Bialek made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Emma Lundy was a standout: she scored two runs while going 2-for-5. Another player making a difference was Kasey Watts, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Ridgeview always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Orange Park only posted an OBP of .185.
Meanwhile, University Christian entered their tilt with Keystone Heights on Monday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Indians with a sharp 12-1 victory. Considering the Christians have won 11 contests by more than nine runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Ridgeview, University Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Dixie Tessier. She tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Tessier was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Mila Lackowski was incredible, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March. Lydia Smith was another key player, scoring three runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
University Christian's win was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-3. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Ridgeview, their win bumped their record up to 7-13.
Ridgeview suffered a grim 8-0 defeat to University Christian when the teams last played back in March 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.
