Softball Preview: Panther Creek Catamounts vs. Apex Cougars
Panther Creek is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Apex is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Panther Creek Catamounts will take on the Apex Cougars at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Panther Creek's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victor by a 16-0 margin over Green Level.
Andrea Care was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Care has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. Care was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Brooklinn Thomas was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Layla Lamar, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Apex was not the first on the board last Monday, but they got there more often. They blew past Cary 16-1.
Apex got a massive performance out of Anamie Whittlesey, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Hannah Tuttle was another key contributor, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3.
Panther Creek has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine matches, which provided a massive bump to their 8-5 record this season. As for Apex, their victory bumped their record up to 11-4.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Panther Creek has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .465. However, it's not like Apex struggles in that department as they've averaged .491. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Panther Creek skirted past Apex 6-5 in their previous matchup back in March. Will Panther Creek repeat their success, or does Apex have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
