Softball Game Preview: Jena Giants vs. Sterlington Panthers

The Jena Giants will take on the Sterlington Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Jena is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Louisiana's top teams: Quitman, who was ranked 17th at the time (Jena was ranked sixth). Jena sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-5 victory over Quitman on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Giants.

Kiette Cooper

Batters Struck Out

03/25/25 @ Quitman	8
03/24/25 vs Claiborne Christian	6
03/22/25 @ Calvary Baptist Academy	10
03/21/25 vs St. Mary	16
03/21/25 vs Benton	16
+ 4 more games

Kiette Cooper spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.

On the hitting side, Haylee Dangerfield was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. She also put up a triple, which was her first of the season. Sydney Williams was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and one double.

Meanwhile, Sterlington posted their closest win since April 27, 2024 on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past St. Frederick 5-4. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.

Sterlington's victory bumped their record up to 10-5. As for Jena, their win bumped their record up to 17-3.