The Palm Harbor University Hurricanes will take on the Academy of the Holy Names Jaguars at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Palm Harbor University is coming into the contest hot, having won their last five games.
Palm Harbor University proved they can win big on Monday (they won by ten) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Osceola 3-1.
Mylie Stout spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jessica Baker was incredible, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Academy of the Holy Names suffered their biggest loss since March 23, 2024 on Tuesday. They came up short against Inspiration Academy, falling 11-5. The Jaguars have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Ava LaBarbera made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Kacey Scott was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Palm Harbor University pushed their record up to 15-4 with the win, which was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Academy of the Holy Names, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-8.
Academy of the Holy Names' hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Palm Harbor University has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Academy of the Holy Names, though, as they've been averaging only 3.8 strikeouts. Will Palm Harbor University keep running through batters, or will the Jaguars buck the trend?
Palm Harbor University might still be hurting after the 12-0 loss they got from Academy of the Holy Names when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Hurricanes have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
