The Hoke County Bucks will challenge the Union Pines Vikings at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Union Pines will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Hoke County extended their winning streak to four on Tuesday. The Bucks' pitcher stepped up to hand Southern Lee an 8-0 shutout. The game was the first time the Bucks have beaten the Cavaliers on their field since March 18, 2022.
The result came thanks to Niya Jones's shutout, as she gave up just five hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 16 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Kalea Parker was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one triple and two RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024. Shaniya Mclean was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing three bases.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Union Pines, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They put the hurt on Richmond with a sharp 13-3 victory on Tuesday. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Allie Bauer made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. Bauer was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Union Pines got a big performance out of Serena McCutchen, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Madison Stein, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Union Pines always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .541. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Hoke County's victory bumped their record up to 14-4. As for Union Pines, their win bumped their record up to 10-7.
Union Pines' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Hoke County has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.1 hits per game. It's a different story for Union Pines, though, as they've been averaging 8.9 hits. Given Hoke County's sizable advantage in that area, the Vikings will need to find a way to close that gap. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
