The De Leon Bearcats will take on the Lipan Indians at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
It was a proper cat-fight when De Leon took on Santo on Tuesday. The Bearcats took a 16-13 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Wildcats. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game on Friday (12), the Bearcats still had to take the loss.
De Leon got a massive performance out of Payton Chupp, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That triple was Chupp's first of the season. Trinity Gonzales was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Lipan ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out Graford 11-10. The victory was nothing new for the Indians as they're now sitting on four straight.
Ella Sharp made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out 17 batters over eight innings while giving up just two earned (and eight unearned) runs off 14 hits (and only one walk). Those 17 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Finley Shockley and Ryan Atkinson did most of the damage at the plate: Shockley scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Atkinson scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Atkinson posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Gracie Caviness, who scored a run and stole two bases.
Lipan kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive matches.
Lipan pushed their record up to 6-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for De Leon, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-6 record this season.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. De Leon has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .545. However, it's not like Lipan struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
De Leon couldn't quite get it done against Lipan when the teams last played two weeks ago as they fell 8-3. Will the Bearcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
