Mulberry hasn't had much luck against McKeel Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Panthers will look to defend their home field against the Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. Mulberry is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
Mulberry is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past All Saints' Academy 20-2 on Tuesday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Panthers with their most commanding win of the season.
Jazmyn Stierwalt made a splash no matter where she played. She pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. Those two hits gave her a new career-high.
Lylah Jones
| 04/08/25 @ All Saints' Academy | 3 |
| 03/28/25 @ Fort Meade | 2 |
| 04/07/25 @ Lakeland Christian | 1 |
| 04/03/25 @ Lake Gibson | 1 |
| 03/13/25 @ Lakeland | 1 |
In other batting news, Mulberry let Alanah Rau and Lylah Jones run wild. Rau went 3-for-4 with four runs, five RBI, and one triple, while Jones went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and four RBI. Those three hits gave Jones a new career-high. Lorianys Castanon Cruz was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3.
Mulberry was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .552. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when McKeel Academy faced off against Academy of the Holy Names on Friday. The Wildcats came out on top against the Jaguars by a score of 7-2.
Emma Skipper spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Chloe Lanier, who went 2-for-4 with five RBI, two doubles, and one run. Another player making a difference was Isabelle Morrell, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Mulberry's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-7. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for McKeel Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 6-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mulberry has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like McKeel Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mulberry couldn't quite get it done against McKeel Academy when the teams last played back in February as they fell 7-4. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
