Ennis and Midlothian are an even 3-3 against one another since February of 2016, but likely not for long. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Ennis Lions challenge Midlothian Panthers at 1:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Midlothian will be up against a hot Ennis squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Everything went Ennis' way against Crandall on Friday as Ennis made off with an 11-4 victory.
Breona Benavidez
| 03/07/25 @ Crandall | 10 |
| 03/04/25 vs Kaufman | 6 |
| 03/01/25 vs West | 4 |
| 02/28/25 vs Martin | 9 |
| 02/27/25 vs Joshua | 6 |
| + 9 more games |
Breona Benavidez made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in April of 2024. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and three RBI.
In other batting news, Ennis got a massive performance out of Kaycee Slovak, who went 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most hits Slovak has posted since back in March of 2024. Meranda Chandler also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Ennis kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Midlothian). They were the clear victor by a 20-4 margin over Kaufman on Friday. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.
Abby Insley looked comfortable as she tossed 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jocelyn Martinez was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with six RBI, three doubles, and two runs. Aniyah Givens was another key player, going 3-for-5 with four runs, two doubles, and one triple.
Midlothian's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-5-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.3 runs over those games. As for Ennis, their record now sits at 12-3.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ennis hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Midlothian struggles in that department as they've averaged .352. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ennis skirted past Midlothian 6-4 in their previous meeting back in April of 2022. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ennis since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
