Baseball Game Preview: Humboldt Vikings vs. Haywood Tomcats

The Humboldt Vikings will square off against the Haywood Tomcats at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Humboldt has now lost 16 straight dating back to last season, leaving the team hunting for their first win since April 3.

Humboldt came up short against Haywood on Thursday, falling 21-1.

For Haywood's part, Owen Stanley was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). What's more, Stanley gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.

In other batting news, Haywood let Ty' Sean Mercer and Joseph Stokley run wild. Mercer went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple, while Stokley went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. The dominant performance gave Stokley a new career-high in RBI. Cordarion Jelks was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.

Humboldt's loss dropped their record down to 0-3. As for Haywood, with the victory, they broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 1-0.