The Byron Nelson Bobcat are taking a road trip to challenge the Southlake Carroll Dragons at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Byron Nelson is coming into the contest hot, having won their last six games.
Southlake Carroll's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Friday: Byron Nelson hadn't allowed a single run the last four times they've hit the field. The Bobcat walked away with a 5-0 victory over Keller Central on Tuesday.
Not much got past Meredith Hambric, who gave up just three hits and racked up 14 Ks to keep Keller Central off the board. Those 14 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for Hambric.
McKenna Cleary
| 03/24/26 @ Keller Central | 3 |
| 03/03/26 @ Trinity | 2 |
| 02/21/26 @ Braswell | 2 |
| 02/14/26 vs Shadow Creek | 2 |
| 02/12/26 vs Cornerstone Christian | 2 |
On the hitting side, Byron Nelson let McKenna Cleary and Bryson Farco run wild. Cleary went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run, while Farco went 3-for-4 with two runs and two doubles. Those three hits gave Cleary a new career-high. Kaylee Vien also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Wednesday Southlake Carroll sidestepped Keller Central for a 4-2 win.
Olivia Wiske spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on seven hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Olivia McCarrick was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. Cate Stoklas was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Byron Nelson's record is now 23-2-1. As for Southlake Carroll, their record now sits at 18-9.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Byron Nelson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Southlake Carroll struggles in that department as they've averaged .338. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Byron Nelson came out on top in a nail-biter against Southlake Carroll when the teams last played back in February, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bobcat since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
