vs
| 02/18/25 - Home | 7-4 W |
| 04/22/24 - Home | 8-1 W |
| 04/16/21 - Home | 13-2 W |
| 03/11/21 - Away | 21-3 W |
| 04/10/19 - Home | 12-2 W |
| + 5 more games |
McKeel Academy is 9-1 against Mulberry since March of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Wildcats will square off against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
It was a proper cat-fight when McKeel Academy faced off against Academy of the Holy Names on Friday. The Wildcats came out on top against the Jaguars by a score of 7-2.
Emma Skipper spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, Chloe Lanier was incredible, going 2-for-4 with five RBI, two doubles, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Isabelle Morrell, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
McKeel Academy hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Academy of the Holy Names struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Mulberry). They were the clear victors by a 20-2 margin over All Saints' Academy on Tuesday. The victory was nothing new for the Panthers as they're now sitting on four straight.
Jazmyn Stierwalt was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Mulberry let Alanah Rau and Lylah Jones run wild. Rau went 3-for-4 with four runs, five RBI, and one triple, while Jones went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and four RBI. Lorianys Castanon Cruz also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triples of the season.
Mulberry's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-7. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for McKeel Academy, their record is now 6-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. McKeel Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Mulberry struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
McKeel Academy beat Mulberry 7-4 in their previous matchup back in February. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wildcats since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
