Softball Game Preview: South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls vs. Union Academy Cardinals

The South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls will challenge the Union Academy Cardinals on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

South Stanly is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Hiwassee Dam with a sharp 9-2 victory.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Union Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Bessemer City a 17-0 shutout on Tuesday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Cardinals considering their two-run performance the contest before.

Avery Wilson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two triples, five RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.

In other batting news, Paisley Boatright was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Paige Quinn, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs and one stolen base.

Union Academy hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive games.

Union Academy's win was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 22-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.1 runs over those games. As for South Stanly, their win ended an eight-game drought on the road and puts them at 13-13.

South Stanly came out on top in a nail-biter against Union Academy when the teams last played last Tuesday, sneaking past 3-2. Will the Rowdy Rebel Bulls repeat their success, or do the Cardinals have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.