Softball Game Preview: Latta Panthers vs. Chandler Lions

Latta has won eight straight games at home, while Chandler has won eight straight on the road dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Monday. The Panthers will host the Lions at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Latta barely beat Wyandotte the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Panthers were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Bears on Thursday.

Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, Chandler rose to the challenge on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Rangers a 10-0 shutout. The Lions' pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last three matchups.

Kennedy Allen made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 17 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and one RBI. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Blaklei Smith, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most hits she has posted since back in September. The team also got some help courtesy of Halle Herrmann, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.

Latta's win bumped their record up to 25-8. As for Chandler, their victory bumped their record up to 26-3.

Latta came out on top in a nail-biter against Chandler in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, sneaking past 7-5. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.