Princeton is 0-5 against Allen since March of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Panthers are taking a road trip to take on the Eagles at 7:15 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Having struggled with ten losses in a row, Princeton turned things around against McKinney on Tuesday. They blew past the Lions 12-2. Considering the Panthers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Valentina Beltran
| 03/31/26 vs McKinney | 3 |
| 02/21/26 @ Heritage | 2 |
| 02/20/26 @ Skyline | 2 |
| 03/03/26 @ McKinney | 1 |
| 02/13/26 @ Blue Ridge | 1 |
Princeton got a massive performance out of Valentina Beltran, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and one run. Those three hits gave Beltran a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Hailey Highbarger, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Princeton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as McKinney only posted an OBP of .304.
Meanwhile, Allen won against McKinney on Friday with 17 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Saturday. The Eagles beat Celina by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 17-3. The result was nothing new for the Eagles, who have now won 16 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
The team relied heavily on Claire McKeever, who fired off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one home run the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Harper Dennis, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and one double.
Princeton's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-11 and their overall record up to 5-18. As for Allen, their record is now 20-3.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Princeton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .357. However, it's not like Allen struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Princeton might still be hurting after the 19-1 defeat they got from Allen when the teams last played back in March. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
