The Mabank Panthers will venture away from home to take on the Brownsboro Bears at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Mabank has given up an average of 11.9 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Mabank was handed a ten-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Athens, sneaking past 13-11. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Panthers considering their one-run performance the game before.
Emmy Barnes made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. Barnes was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Mabank let Savannah Phillips and Erin Ottmo run wild. Phillips scored two runs while going 2-for-5, while Ottmo scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Trinity Mixon was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Mabank kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.3 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matches they've averaged 9.8.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Brownsboro made sure to put some runs up on the board against Kemp on Monday. The Bears put the hurt on the Yellowjackets with a sharp 13-3 victory. The win was some much needed relief for the Bears as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Cheyenne Cowart made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Cowart was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Lilly Haldeman was a standout: she scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Malerie Pyle, who scored a run and stole three bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Brownsboro picked up their first home victory, bumping their record up to 7-10-2. As for Mabank, their win was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-7 and their overall record up to 7-13.
Mabank might still be hurting after the 18-7 loss they got from Brownsboro when the teams last played back in March. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
