Clifton Central is 8-2 against Gardner-South Wilmington since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Comets will be playing at home against the Panthers at 4:30 p.m. Clifton Central will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
On Monday, Clifton Central was able to grind out a solid win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda, taking the game 9-4.
| 04/21/25 @ Paxton-Buckley-Loda | 3 |
| 04/15/25 @ Illinois Lutheran | 2 |
| 04/03/25 vs St. Anne | 2 |
| 03/26/24 @ Momence | 2 |
| 03/25/24 vs Watseka | 2 |
Sydney Jemar made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with three RBI and one double. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Blair Bottorff, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Rayven Perkins, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Gardner-South Wilmington posted their closest victory since May 10, 2024 on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-4 win over Newark.
Like Clifton Central, Gardner-South Wilmington also got a great game from a two-way player: Maddie Simms. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits. Simms was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Liv Siano was excellent, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season.
Gardner-South Wilmington hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Newark struck out eight times.
Clifton Central's victory bumped their record up to 11-6-1. As for Gardner-South Wilmington, their win bumped their record up to 10-6.
Clifton Central came out on top in a nail-biter against Gardner-South Wilmington when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 3-1. Do the Comets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
