Petal has gone 9-1 against Meridian recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Petal Panthers take on Meridian Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. Petal will be strutting in after a victory while Meridian will be coming in after a defeat.
Petal took a nine-run loss the last time they faced off against Brandon, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Petal narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Brandon 7-5.
Tanner Beliveau was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched 5.1 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, he gave up only two walks, the fewest he's had since back in February. He was even better at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
In other pitching news, Cooper Giger looked comfortable as he pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-low in walks (zero).
John Lindsey
| 03/28/25 vs Brandon | 3 |
| 03/25/25 @ Brandon | 2 |
| 03/06/25 @ Harrison Central | 2 |
| 03/22/25 @ St. Stanislaus | 1 |
| 03/21/25 vs Northwest Rankin | 1 |
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on John Lindsey, who scored a run while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Easton Giger, who scored a run while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Meridian fell victim to Oak Grove and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They lost 20-0 to the Warriors. The Wildcats haven't had much luck with the Warriors recently, as the team has come up short the last seven times they've met.
Petal is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. Meridian's defeat dropped their record down to 6-11.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Petal has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Meridian struggles in that department as they've averaged .447. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Petal took their win against Meridian in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 20-3. Does Petal have another victory up their sleeve, or will Meridian turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
