The Superior Panthers will challenge the Ray Bearcats at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
It was a proper cat-fight when Superior faced off against Globe on Friday. The Panthers took a 10-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Tigers.
Raiden Sommer was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. On the mound, he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Ryland Duarte
| 03/18/25 vs Miami | 3 |
| 04/11/25 vs Globe | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Ash Fork/Seligman | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Maryvale Prep | 2 |
| 03/17/25 vs Williams | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
Sommer wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Ryland Duarte, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one triple. Duarte is becoming a predictor of Superior's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 4-1 (and 4-7 when he doesn't).
Meanwhile, Ray made easy work of Patagonia on Thursday and carried off a 20-1 win. The victory continues a trend for the Bearcats in their matchups with the Lobos: they've now won six in a row.
Like Superior, Ray also got a great game from a two-way player: John Beede. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, Beede posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Ray let James Ruiz and Jesse James run wild. Ruiz went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple, while James went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those four RBI gave James a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaxon Cude, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2.
Ray was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .545. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Superior has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 8-8 record this season. As for Ray, their win bumped their record up to 7-12-1.
Superior beat Ray 10-6 in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bearcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
