Panthers
| 04/02/25 vs Gainesville | 6 |
| 04/01/25 vs Bronson | 1 |
| 03/28/25 @ St. Augustine | 11 |
| 03/13/25 @ Chiefland | 5 |
| 03/11/25 @ Buchholz | 11 |
| + 8 more games |
Newberry hasn't had much luck against Bell recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. Newberry is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
Newberry's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Wednesday's struggle, when Gainesville hitters got past them. The Panthers lost 13-6 to the Hurricanes on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Panthers have suffered since April 15, 2024.
Madison Rodgers was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Malana Kennard was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-4. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Gracie Mattson, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Bell). They never let Countryside Christian get on the board and left with a 19-0 victory on Monday. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Minutemen recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Like Newberry, Bell also got a great game from a two-way player: Aurelia Darling. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. What's more, Darling posted four strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3. Those runs marked the first that she scored this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lizzie Bagby, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Dacy Graham, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4.
Bell was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .469. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Bell's victory bumped their record up to 5-7. As for Newberry, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 11-2.
Newberry suffered a grim 9-3 defeat to Bell in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
