It may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Palmetto ultimately got the result they hoped for on Monday. They skirted past the Bradenton Christian Panthers 8-7. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
LeiLani Cruz made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April of 2025. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Those stolen bases were her first of the season.
Kaylee Varnadore
| 03/09/26 vs Bradenton Christian | 3 |
| 04/01/25 vs Bradenton Christian | 2 |
| 03/27/25 @ Manatee | 2 |
| 03/03/26 vs Manatee | 1 |
| 02/26/26 @ Lakewood Ranch | 1 |
In other batting news, Palmetto let Maria Michaels and Kaylee Varnadore run wild. Michaels went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double, while Varnadore went 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Those three hits gave Varnadore a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Caliee Seegers, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Palmetto kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
The win got Palmetto back to even at 3-3. As for Bradenton Christian, they dropped their record down to 1-6 with the loss, which was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Palmetto will face off against Inspiration Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Bradenton Christian, they will take on Saint Stephen's Episcopal at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Panthers' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Falcons have averaged an impressive 13 runs per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
