The Fossil Ridge Panthers will take on the Azle Hornets at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Fossil Ridge's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last four matches.
On Friday, Fossil Ridge was able to grind out a solid win over Granbury, taking the game 11-6.
Callie Mauppin was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was Yari Santiago, who scored three runs while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Azle, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They came out on top against Chisholm Trail by a score of 7-2 on Friday. The Hornets haven't had any issues with the Rangers recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Corynne Barone spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits and racked up nine Ks. Those nine strikeouts gave her a new career-high.
At the plate, Ema Lehr was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Bella Tipton was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Azle was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .385. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Fossil Ridge is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 12 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-3-1 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. Azle's victory bumped their record up to 7-9-2.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Fossil Ridge hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. However, it's not like Azle struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fossil Ridge couldn't quite get it done against Azle in their previous matchup on March 7th as they fell 8-5. Will Fossil Ridge have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.