The Nettleton Tigers will face off against the Amory Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Nettleton is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 16-1 margin over East Webster on Thursday. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Bailey Payne spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in 11 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Zion Seals, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Addie Bates was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Nettleton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .424. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East Webster only posted a batting average of .100.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous three contests, Amory brought some dynamite into their most recent game. Everything went their way against Shannon on Thursday as they made off with an 18-8 victory. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Panthers as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Janiya Cockerham made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Cockerham was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in two of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Ella Gray was a standout: she scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Samone Burdine, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 1-for-4.
Nettleton's victory was their 13th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 20-2-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for Amory, their victory bumped their record up to 12-10.
Nettleton couldn't quite get it done against Amory in their previous meeting back in March of 2023 as they fell 10-5. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
