The Mena Bearcats will face off against the Malvern Leopards at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Malvern will be up against a hot Mena squad: the team just extended their winning streak to seven. The Bearcats' pitcher stepped up to hand Waldron a 15-0 shutout on Tuesday.
Abi Koppein
| 04/01/25 @ Waldron | 5 |
| 03/21/25 vs Pottsville | 9 |
| 03/18/25 vs Clarksville | 13 |
| 03/10/25 vs Paris | 14 |
| 03/06/25 @ Nashville | 6 |
| 03/04/25 vs Lavaca | 14 |
Abi Koppein was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and two doubles.
In other batting news, Laynie Powell was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Lily Rowland, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and two doubles.
Mena always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .714. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Malvern made easy work of Fountain Lake on Tuesday and carried off a 15-0 win. The Leopards haven't had any issues with the Cobras recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Like Mena, Malvern also got a great game from a two-way player: Kendall Watson. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Watson was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hattie Davis, who scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Addi White was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
Mena pushed their record up to 7-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.3 runs over those games. As for Malvern, their win bumped their record up to 9-4.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mena hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .367. However, it's not like Malvern struggles in that department as they've averaged .405. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mena was able to grind out a solid victory over Malvern when the teams last played back in April of 2022, winning 8-5. Do the Bearcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Leopards turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
