The Mulberry Panthers will face off against the DeSoto County Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Mulberry proved they can win big on Thursday (they won by 15) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Lake Gibson 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since March 7, 2024.
Mulberry got a great performance from Laura Robinson as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over six innings pitched.
Lorianys Castanon Cruz
| 03/03/25 vs Lake Gibson | 4 |
| 04/09/24 vs Hardee | 3 |
| 04/01/24 vs Lakeland | 2 |
| 03/21/24 @ Lake Gibson | 2 |
| 02/27/25 @ Ridge Community | 1 |
At the plate, Lorianys Castanon Cruz was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing Four bases. while going 2-for-3. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in stolen bases. A'Lejah Washington was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-1.
Mulberry was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, DeSoto County beat Cape Coral 6-2 on Friday.
The team relied heavily on Emery Skinner, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Ellie Whidden, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one double.
DeSoto County now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Mulberry, their victory ended a four-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 2-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mulberry has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like DeSoto County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mulberry might still be hurting after the 10-2 defeat they got from DeSoto County in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Will Mulberry have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
