The American Patriots will challenge the Palmetto Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
American lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Lourdes Academy, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Wednesday's game. The Patriots blew past Lourdes Academy 13-2 on Wednesday. Winning may never get old, but the Patriots sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.
Jamerikal Darden was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just two earned runs off one hit. Darden was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Brayleen Ruiz was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-1. Another player making a difference was Ashley Ramon, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
American was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .531. They are 9-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Palmetto never got on the board in their matchup back in March, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Academy for Innovative Education last Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Aviators with a sharp 11-3 win.
Lauren Falls spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Madeleine Baldwin, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted two RBI, the most she's had since back in February. Angelina Gonzalez was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.
American's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-5. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Palmetto, their victory bumped their record up to 5-10.
Palmetto's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: American has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10 hits per game. It's a different story for Palmetto, though, as they've been averaging 10.2 hits. Given American's sizable advantage in that area, the Panthers will need to find a way to close that gap.
American took their win against Palmetto when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 16-6 score. Will the Patriots repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
