Cougars
| 03/18/25 vs Petal | 5 |
| 03/11/25 vs Hernando | 2 |
| 03/08/25 vs Baker | 8 |
| 03/07/25 vs George County | 2 |
| + 7 more games |
Northwest Rankin is a perfect 10-0 against Pearl since April of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Northwest Rankin Cougars will be playing at home against the Pearl Pirates at 6:30 p.m. Northwest Rankin is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Northwest Rankin is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Mississippi's top teams: Petal, who was ranked 17th at the time (Northwest Rankin was ranked fifth). Northwest Rankin came out on top against Petal on Tuesday by a score of 5-2 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). The Cougars haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Grace Wallis made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI.
Wallis wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Brooke Smith, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Smith 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.
Meanwhile, Pearl narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Enterprise 8-7.
Shiloh Wells was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one double. That triple was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Lauryn Lee, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double.
Northwest Rankin's victory bumped their record up to 10-2. As for Pearl, they have been performing well recently as they've won seven of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-3 record this season.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Northwest Rankin has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .437. However, it's not like Pearl struggles in that department as they've averaged .463. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northwest Rankin took their win against Pearl when the teams last played back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 12-0. Does Northwest Rankin have another victory up their sleeve, or will Pearl turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
