Softball Game Preview: Dixie County Bears vs. Newberry Panthers

The Dixie County Bears are taking a road trip to face off against the Newberry Panthers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Dixie County will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs two weeks ago, then bounced right back against Cedar Key on Monday. The Bears walked away with a 10-7 win over the Sharks. Considering the Bears' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.

Katelyn Blevins

Doubles (Career)

04/21/25 vs Cedar Key	2
03/27/25 vs Branford	1
03/25/25 vs Chiefland	1
03/11/25 vs Fort White	1

Katelyn Blevins was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. Tearra Collins was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.

Newberry came out on top against Bell on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run second inning. The Panthers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over the Bulldogs. The game was the first time the Panthers have beaten the Bulldogs on their field since February 10, 2018.

The team relied heavily on Tristan Layfield, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Gracie Mattson, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.

Newberry's record is now 16-5. As for Dixie County, their win ended an eight-game drought at home and bumped them up to 3-15.

Dixie County might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from Newberry when the teams last played back in February. Can the Bears avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.