The Dodson Panthers will face off against the Ringgold Redskins at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Dodson has given up an average of 10.1 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Dodson lost 14-1 to Harrisonburg on Friday. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Dodson saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Courtney Mckiddy, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Ringgold). Everything went their way against Plain Dealing on Tuesday as Ringgold made off with a 15-8 win. The Redskins not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since April 3, 2024.
Jayla Joyner was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Those 11 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also stellar in the batter's box, firing off four runs, two triples, and four RBI while going 5-for-5. She also hit two doubles, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Faith Clifton, who scored two runs and stole Two bases. while going 2-for-5. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last four times she's played. Another player making a difference was Lily Plunkett, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Ringgold's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 4-8. As for Dodson, their loss dropped their record down to 6-8.
Ringgold's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Dodson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .401. It's a different story for Ringgold, though, as they've only averaged .224. Will they be able to contain Dodson's hitters?
Everything went Dodson's way against Ringgold when the teams last played last Monday, as Dodson made off with a 14-4 win. Does Dodson have another victory up their sleeve, or will Ringgold turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
