Maypearl is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Tuesday. They will head out to challenge the Rice Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m.
Maypearl is headed into the game having just suffered their biggest loss since March 22, 2024 on Friday. They came up short against Stephenville, falling 11-1. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Maypearl saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kaelyn Smith, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Bulldogs last Friday. Rice put the hurt on Dawson with a sharp 13-4 win. Considering Rice has won five matchups by more than six runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Cadence Van Cleave made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out 14 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. Van Cleave was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Halie Adams, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Sloan Cadena was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Rice was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .447. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in 11 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Maypearl's defeat dropped their record down to 8-6-2. As for Rice, their record now sits at 7-1-1.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Maypearl hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .336. However, it's not like Rice struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
