The Pine Grove Panthers will challenge the Vardaman Rams at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Pine Grove sitting on three straight wins and Vardaman on four.
Pine Grove is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They won by a run and slipped past Potts Camp 7-6. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by just one run.
Edie Chapman looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 18 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kaylee Crawley, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Rylee Hall also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Vardaman never let their opponents score on Friday. Everything went their way against West Lowndes as they made off with a 15-0 victory. Considering the Rams have won seven games by more than nine runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Hannah Lowe and Makayla Johnson were major factors while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Lowe pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Johnson tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in March. At the plate, Lowe went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Johnson got on base in both of her plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Haley Parker was incredible, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Adley Teasley, who earned one RBI, one run, and two stolen bases.
Vardaman always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .870. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
The win got Pine Grove back to even at 14-14. As for Vardaman, their record now sits at 12-9.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pine Grove has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like Vardaman struggles in that department as they've averaged .460. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pine Grove got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 against Vardaman by a conclusive 13-0 score. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Rams turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
