Softball Game Preview: Petal Panthers vs. Pearl Pirates

Panthers

Runs

04/10/25 @ Meridian	16
04/08/25 vs Brandon	5
04/07/25 @ Sumrall	7
04/04/25 vs Northwest Rankin	0
04/01/25 @ Oak Grove	16
+ 20 more games

Petal is a perfect 3-0 against Pearl since March of 2024 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Panthers will face off against the Pirates at 6:00 p.m. Petal is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.

It was a proper cat-fight when Petal took on Meridian on Thursday. The Panthers blew past the Wildcats 16-4. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Panthers.

Mallory Johnson spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits and racked up six Ks.

At the plate, Layla Brock was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Bailey Williams was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing three bases.

Brock wasn't the only one making solid contact: Petal kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Pearl lost 13-4 to Florence on Monday. The Pirates have struggled against the Eagles recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.

Pearl saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ainsley Roberts, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Pearl's loss dropped their record down to 14-10. As for Petal, their victory bumped their record up to 18-7.

Petal took their win against Pearl in their previous meeting back in March by a conclusive 12-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.