Softball Preview: Northview Chiefs vs. Paxton Bobcats
The Northview Chiefs will square off against the Paxton Bobcats at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Northview can now show off 15 landslide victories after their most recent contest on Thursday. They blew past Gulf Breeze 14-5. The win was familiar territory for Northview who now have four in a row.
Mikayla McAnnally and Jamison Gilman were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, McAnnally pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Gilman struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off ten hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. At the plate, McAnnally scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Gilman scored three runs while going 1-for-5.
In other batting news, Chloe Ragsdale was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs. Avery Stuckey was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Paxton scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 17-16 victory over Central.
Alyssa Falk and Kiley Edwards did most of the damage at the plate: Falk scored three runs and stole a base while going 4-for-5, while Edwards went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Marley McClelland, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Northview's win bumped their record up to 20-3. As for Paxton, their victory ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 9-11.
Paxton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Northview has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.8 hits per game. It's a different story for Paxton, though, as they've been averaging 8.9. Given Northview's sizable advantage in that area, Paxton will need to find a way to close that gap.
Northview skirted past Paxton 6-5 when the teams last played back in May of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Northview since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
