The Palmetto Ridge Bears will face off against the Cypress Lake Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Last Friday, Palmetto Ridge got the win against Old Forge by a conclusive 12-4. Considering the Bears have won five contests by more than seven runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Rebecca Razzano was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Jenahya Soto, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4.
Palmetto Ridge always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Cypress Lake beat Bonita Springs 10-6 on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Panthers.
Audrina Westland spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered six runs (all of which were unearned) on nine hits and racked up nine Ks. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.3 strikeouts per game.
At the plate, Mackenzy Stouffer was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Maisy Vogel was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Palmetto Ridge's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-5. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Cypress Lake, their win bumped their record up to 4-6.
Cypress Lake's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Palmetto Ridge has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. It's a different story for Cypress Lake, though, as they've only averaged .361. Will they be able to contain Palmetto Ridge's hitters?
Palmetto Ridge was able to grind out a solid victory over Cypress Lake in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, winning 6-1. Do the Bears have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
