Softball Game Preview: David Emanuel Academy Eagles vs. Portal Panthers

The David Emanuel Academy Eagles will face off against the Portal Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (David Emanuel Academy has four straight victories, Portal has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

David Emanuel Academy will bounce into Wednesday's game after beating Trinity Christian, who they had gone 1-7 against in their eight prior meetings. The Eagles narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Crusaders 6-5.

Rayleigh Faircloth

Batters Struck Out

09/30/25 vs Trinity Christian	9
09/25/25 vs Robert Toombs Christian Academy	7
09/22/25 @ Twiggs Academy	9
09/18/25 vs Pinewood Christian	7
09/16/25 @ Trinity Christian	6

Rayleigh Faircloth made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off ten hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in August.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaley Flowers, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.

David Emanuel Academy hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Portal fell victim to Metter and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Tigers.

Portal's loss dropped their record down to 9-9. As for David Emanuel Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 16-2.

Everything went David Emanuel Academy's way against Portal when the teams last played back in August of 2023, as David Emanuel Academy made off with a 9-2 win. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.