Softball Game Preview: Malvern Leopards vs. Mills University Studies Comets

The Malvern Leopards will take on the Mills University Studies Comets at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Malvern is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.

Malvern is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Arkansas' top teams: Sheridan, who was ranked 15th at the time (Malvern was ranked 20th). The Leopards narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Yellowjackets 6-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Leopards have posted since May 9, 2024.

Kendall Watson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on eight hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Emily Minge was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. Alexis Jenkins was another key player, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with one stolen base and one RBI.

Meanwhile, after some red-hot attacks at the plate in their last three matches, Mills University Studies finally came back down to earth on Tuesday. They lost 15-0 to Bauxite. The Comets' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

Malvern pushed their record up to 18-5 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.2 runs on average over those games. As for Mills University Studies, they now have a losing record of 5-6.

Everything went Malvern's way against Mills University Studies in their previous meeting on April 8th, as Malvern made off with a 21-0 victory. Do the Leopards have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Comets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.