Softball Game Preview: Mathews Mustangs vs. Cardinal Huskies

The Mathews Mustangs will head out on the road to challenge the Cardinal Huskies at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Mathews is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.

While Mathews' victory against Harding wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Mustangs narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Skippers 2-0. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last six times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Cardinal, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They put the hurt on St. John with a sharp 13-2 victory on Monday. The Huskies might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by ten runs or more this season.

Kacie Carman was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits (and only one walk). Those 11 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.

In other batting news, Maggie Grant was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in May of 2025. Emily Pleva was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.

Mathews now has a winning record of 9-8. As for Cardinal, their record now sits at 6-7.

Mathews skirted past Cardinal 12-10 in their previous matchup on Wednesday. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.