The Milton Panthers will face off against the Northview Chiefs at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Milton 3.1, Northview 3.4) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Monday, Milton needed a bit of extra time to put away Crestview. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Bulldogs 3-2. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Chloe Norman
| 03/23/26 vs Crestview | 2 |
| 03/13/26 @ Pace | 2 |
| 03/12/26 @ Baker | 1 |
| 03/10/26 @ Gulf Breeze | 2 |
| 03/06/26 vs Choctawhatchee | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
Chloe Norman spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Milton saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Faith Cain, who went 2-for-3 with one run. Ashlyn Sutton was another, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Milton hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Crestview struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, after a string of four wins, Northview's good fortune finally ran out on Thursday. They lost 10-3 to Pace. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Chiefs, who until this game were averaging 3.38 runs allowed.
Peyton Womack made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one home run. The team also got some help courtesy of Daviona Randolph, who went 1-for-3 with one home run.
Northview's loss dropped their record down to 9-4. As for Milton, their win bumped their record up to 8-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Milton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Northview struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Milton skirted past Northview 5-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
