The Anahuac Panthers will venture away from home to take on the Huntington Red Devils at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Anahuac is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
It was a proper cat-fight when Anahuac challenged Orangefield on Tuesday. The Panthers fell 10-7 to the Bobcats. The Panthers have struggled against the Bobcats recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost meeting.
Keeley Butler made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Jayda Granger, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.
Meanwhile, Huntington came tearing into Tuesday's game with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.4 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Bulldogs. The game was the first time the Red Devils have beaten the Bulldogs on their field since April 16, 2021.
Riley Whitley made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season. She was even better at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one triple.
In other batting news, Chesney Bearden was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and two doubles. Another player making a difference was Alyssa Anderson, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Huntington kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since the start of last season.
Huntington pushed their record up to 17-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games. As for Anahuac, their defeat dropped their record down to 17-6-2.
Anahuac was able to grind out a solid victory over Huntington when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 11-8. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Red Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
