The Palmetto Panthers are taking a road trip to face off against the American Patriots at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Palmetto lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Academy for Innovative Education, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Wednesday's contest. The Panthers blew past the Aviators 11-3 last Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Panthers needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.

Lauren Falls
04/02/25 vs Academy for Innovative Education | 1 |
03/18/25 vs Ferguson | 2 |
03/15/25 vs Westminster Christian | 2 |
03/13/25 vs Florida Christian | 1 |
Lauren Falls spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Madeleine Baldwin, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in February. Another player making a difference was Angelina Gonzalez, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
Palmetto always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, American waltzed into their game on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. Everything went their way against Lourdes Academy as they made off with a 13-2 win.
Jamerikal Darden made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed five innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. Darden was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Brayleen Ruiz was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-1. Ashley Ramon was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
American pushed their record up to 12-5 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.8 runs over those games. As for Palmetto, their record is now 5-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Palmetto has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like American struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Palmetto might still be hurting after the 16-6 loss they got from American in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.