The Clay Panthers will head out to square off against the Peebles Indians at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Clay is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
On Friday, Clay made easy work of Oak Hill and carried off a 15-2 win. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Oaks recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Laney Shepherd made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Shepherd was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted over her last 13 contests.
In other batting news, Elin Shaw was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and three runs. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Mia Lunsford, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three stolen bases and three runs.
Meanwhile, Peebles was not able to break out of their rough patch last Thursday as the team picked up their sixth straight loss. They fell 6-2 to Southeastern.
Kaelyn Musser spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and four unearned) runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Peebles saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kendall Myers, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Clay's record now sits at 15-8. As for Peebles, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-11.
Clay's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's match. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Peebles, though, as they've been averaging only 0.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Clay continue to outrun the ball?
Clay couldn't quite finish off Peebles in their previous matchup back in May of 2021 and fell 3-1. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
