Softball Game Preview: Heber Springs Panthers vs. Tuckerman Bulldogs

The Heber Springs Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Tuckerman Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Heber Springs turned things around against Stuttgart on Monday. They never let the Ricebirds get on the board and left with a 10-0 win. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Panthers considering their one-run performance the contest before.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Tuckerman). They were the clear victor by a 22-1 margin over Marshall on Monday. The victory was familiar territory for the Bulldogs, who have now won three matches in a row.

Emma Davis looked comfortable as she struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.

At the plate, Tuckerman got a massive performance out of Bristen Wheeler, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. With that strong performance, Wheeler is now averaging an impressive 2.2 runs per game. Ally Sampson was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing Three bases. while going 3-for-4.

Tuckerman always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .618. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.

Heber Springs' record is now 3-5. As for Tuckerman, their record is now 7-1.

Heber Springs beat Tuckerman 5-1 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Heber Springs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.