Meridian is 1-9 against Petal since March of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Meridian Wildcats take on Petal Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Meridian has given up an average of 9.6 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Meridian fell victim to Oak Grove and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They came up short against the Warriors, falling 20-0. The Wildcats have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Petal faced Brandon in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. Petal sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over Brandon.
Tanner Beliveau made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 5.1 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, he gave up only two walks, the fewest he's had since back in February. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
In other pitching news, Cooper Giger looked comfortable as he pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-low in walks (zero).
Back at the plate, John Lindsey was excellent, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Easton Giger, who scored a run while going 3-for-4.
Petal is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. Meridian's defeat dropped their record down to 6-11.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Meridian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Petal struggles in that department as they've averaged .438. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Meridian suffered a grim 20-3 defeat to Petal in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Meridian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
