Softball Preview: Wharton Wildcats vs. Wiregrass Ranch Bulls
Wharton is 9-1 against Wiregrass Ranch since March of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The Wharton Wildcats will look to defend their home field against the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Wharton sitting on four straight victories and Wiregrass Ranch on 15.
Last Thursday, it was close, but Wharton sidestepped Wesley Chapel for a 4-3 win. Despite the victory, that was the fewest runs Wharton has scored all season.
Eliza Connell made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). Connell has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in six consecutive pitching appearances. Connell was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other pitching news, Willa Soorus looked comfortable as she tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (she also didn't allow any walks). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single walk in four consecutive pitching appearances.
Connell wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Hannah Lopez, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Meanwhile, Wiregrass Ranch put the finishing touches on their seventh blowout victory of the season on Friday. They never let Zephyrhills onto the board and left with a 10-0 win.
The team relied heavily on Stephanie Daly, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Juliana Snyder, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and two runs.
Wharton is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six contests, which provided a nice bump to their 10-3 record this season. As for Wiregrass Ranch, they pushed their record up to 15-0 with that victory, which was their seventh straight on the road.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Wharton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Wiregrass Ranch struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.1. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Wharton took their win against Wiregrass Ranch when the teams last played back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 12-3. Will Wharton repeat their success, or does Wiregrass Ranch have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
