Mulberry hasn't had much luck against George Jenkins recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Panthers will head out to square off against the Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Mulberry is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
It was a proper cat-fight when Mulberry faced off against McKeel Academy on Thursday. The Panthers lost 9-3 to the Wildcats.
Mulberry saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kensingten Danforth, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI. Another was Lylah Jones, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for George Jenkins, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They never let Auburndale get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Monday. The result was nothing new for the Eagles, who have now won eight matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Layla Hinojosa made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Kamryn Pickering was excellent, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one double. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Janalyn Duque was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
George Jenkins hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive games.
George Jenkins has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for Mulberry, their defeat dropped their record down to 12-8.
Mulberry's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for George Jenkins, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Mulberry continue to outrun the ball?
Mulberry suffered a grim 14-0 defeat to George Jenkins in their previous meeting back in February. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
