The Crossett Eagles will face off against the Magnolia Panthers at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Crossett is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.5 runs per game this season.
On Thursday, Crossett needed a bit of extra time to put away Junction City. They won by a run and slipped past the Dragons 9-8. The game was the first time the Eagles have beaten the Dragons on their field since April 7, 2017.
Zoey Jones and Beckham Hartley did most of the damage at the plate: Jones went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run, while Hartley went 1-for-3 with three RBI and one triple. The team also got some help courtesy of Caitlyn Lindsey, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
Meanwhile, Magnolia came tearing into Friday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Bobcats get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matches by six runs or more this season.
Kloey Basinger was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off four hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two triples, five RBI, and two runs. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Cheyanne Evans was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Addyson Faulk, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Magnolia kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive games.
Magnolia pushed their record up to 13-6 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Crossett, their win bumped their record up to 17-5.
Everything went Crossett's way against Magnolia in their previous matchup back in March of 2020, as Crossett made off with a 12-6 victory. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.