Softball Game Preview: Bartow Yellow Jackets vs. Hardee Wildcats

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Previous Games

04/26/24 - Home	18-3 W
04/27/23 - Away	16-2 W
04/28/22 - Home	2-1 W
04/22/21 - Away	6-4 W
04/25/19 - Home	7-1 W
+ 4 more games

Bartow has gone 8-1 against Hardee recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets will square off against the Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. Bartow's pitching crew has only allowed 3.6 runs per game this season, so Hardee's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Bartow came out on top against Auburndale on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive nine-run first inning. The Yellow Jackets put the hurt on the Bloodhounds with a sharp 10-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Yellow Jackets, who have now won 11 games by seven runs or more so far this season.

Meanwhile, Hardee was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 9-7 heartbreaker at the hands of Winter Haven. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Wildcats have suffered against the Blue Devils since February 16, 2019.

Mikayla Silva stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and three runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Bella Badillo, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Bartow pushed their record up to 18-6 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Hardee, their loss dropped their record down to 5-15.

Bartow took their win against Hardee in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 18-3 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Yellow Jackets since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.