Softball Game Preview: Jersey Panthers vs. Highland Bulldogs

Jersey is 2-8 against Highland since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Panthers will head out to square off against the Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. Jersey will be strutting in after a victory while Highland will be coming in after a defeat.

Jersey's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 13-0 margin over Collinsville. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Kahoks: they've now won three in a row.

Jersey let Anna Kribs and Maleah Derrick run wild. Kribs went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run, while Derrick went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most stolen bases Derrick has posted since back in May of 2024. Paxton Weirich also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Jersey always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Meanwhile, Highland was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their tenth straight loss. They came up short against Waterloo, falling 15-1. Bulldogs fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against Waterloo since on Wednesday.

Jersey's victory bumped their record up to 7-11-1. As for Highland, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-15.

Jersey skirted past Highland 2-1 when the teams last played back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.