Softball Recap: Paxton-Buckley-Loda Comes Up Short

Paxton-Buckley-Loda extended their losing streak to five on Monday, dropping their season record down to 3-13 in the process. They fell 9-4 to the Clifton Central Comets. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Panthers of the 12-2 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2023.

Hallee Johnson was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple.

As for Clifton Central, the win was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 11-6-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games.

On Clifton Central's side, Sydney Jemar made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Jemar has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with three RBI and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Blair Bottorff, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Rayven Perkins was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Paxton-Buckley-Loda will square off against Blue Ridge at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Clifton Central, they will host Gardner-South Wilmington at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Comets' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Panthers have averaged an impressive 7.4 runs per game this season.