The Mulberry Panthers will challenge the Davenport Broncos at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Mulberry is coming into the game hot, having won their last three games.
Mulberry took a eight-run defeat the last time they faced off against DeSoto County, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Mulberry skirted past DeSoto County 5-4. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by just one run.
Haylie Hightower spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on 13 hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season.

Lorianys Castanon Cruz
03/04/25 vs DeSoto County | 2 |
03/03/25 vs Lake Gibson | 4 |
02/27/25 @ Ridge Community | 1 |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Lorianys Castanon Cruz, who scored a run and stole Two bases. while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Zoe Petersen, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Davenport). They put the hurt on Ridge Community with a sharp 18-1 win on Thursday. The Broncos have beaten the Bolts the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Bolts has come to flipping the script.
Ashanti Pagan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. Pagan was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Jordyn Duran was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Leena Sakal, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
Davenport hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ridge Community struck out six times.
Mulberry's victory bumped their record up to 3-4. As for Davenport, their win bumped their record up to an identical 3-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mulberry has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Davenport struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mulberry skirted past Davenport 5-4 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Mulberry since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.