Softball Game Preview: Jacksonville Crimsons vs. Jersey Panthers

The Jacksonville Crimsons will challenge the Jersey Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Wednesday, Jacksonville was able to grind out a solid victory over Alton, taking the game 6-2. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Crimsons.

Meanwhile, Jersey entered their tilt with Highland on Thursday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Bulldogs. The game was the first time the Panthers have beaten the Bulldogs on their field since May 8, 2023.

Paxton Weirich was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maleah Derrick, who went 3-for-4 with two runs.

Jersey pushed their record up to 12-12-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. As for Jacksonville, their win bumped their record up to 10-13-1.

Jacksonville's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's contest. The Crimsons have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Jersey, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Jacksonville continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.