Panther Creek and Apex Friendship are an even 5-5 against one another since March of 2018, but likely not for long. The Catamounts will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Panther Creek took a loss when they played away from home last Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They walked away with a 12-7 victory over Green Hope.
Jessica Burk was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out 18 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off five hits. Those 18 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Cassidy Robinson
| 04/24/25 vs Green Hope | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Apex Friendship | 1 |
| 03/19/25 @ East Chapel Hill | 1 |
| 03/10/25 @ Cary | 1 |
In other batting news, Cassidy Robinson was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. Sydney Gauldin was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two doubles, and one run.
Meanwhile, Apex Friendship got the win against Apex on Thursday by a conclusive 10-1. Considering the Patriots have won nine games by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Panther Creek, Apex Friendship also got a great game from a two-way player: Cheyenne Christman. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. Christman has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on India Matute, who went 2-for-4 with two triples, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Sydney Joyce, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Apex Friendship was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Apex only posted a batting average of .222.
Apex Friendship's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Panther Creek, their win bumped their record up to 6-8.
Panther Creek's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Catamounts have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Apex Friendship, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Panther Creek continue to outrun the ball?
Panther Creek suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to Apex Friendship in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Catamounts 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.
