Softball Game Preview: Celebration Storm vs. Dr. Phillips Panthers

By Team Reports Apr 17, 2025, 12:25am

Softball Preview: Celebration Storm vs. Dr. Phillips Panthers

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Celebration is 0-5 against Dr. Phillips since April of 2019 but things could change on Thursday. The Storm are taking a road trip to challenge the Panthers at 6:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Celebration made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Liberty, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Storm were the clear victors by a 22-7 margin over the Chargers on Tuesday. The win was familiar territory for the Storm, who have now won four matches in a row.

Ariana Rosado

Stolen Base

04/15/25 @ Liberty3
04/14/25 vs Oasis Christian6
04/10/25 @ Poinciana1
04/08/25 vs Gateway2
04/07/25 @ Osceola1
04/01/25 @ Ridge Community2

Ariana Rosado was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three stolen bases, and four RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games she's played. Another player making a difference was Bella Bayona, who scored two runs while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances.

Celebration always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .811. They are 11-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

Meanwhile, Dr. Phillips made easy work of Wekiva on Tuesday and carried off a 14-4 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Panthers.

Reagan Wimberly made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in February. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.

In other batting news, Briana Lohr and Samantha Rome did most of the damage at the plate: Lohr went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI, while Rome scored three runs and stole five bases while going 3-for-4. Those five stolen bases gave Rome a new career-high. Alexandra Dougherty was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.

Dr. Phillips' win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 19.0 runs over those games. As for Celebration, their record now sits at 11-9.

Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Celebration has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .602. However, it's not like Dr. Phillips struggles in that department as they've averaged .504. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Celebration suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Dr. Phillips when the teams last played back in February of 2023. Can the Storm avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.

Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps