Saint James is 0-3 against Central since April of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Saint James Trojans will face off against the Central Red Devils at 4:30 p.m. Saint James is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Saint James took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They came out on top against Prattville Christian Academy by a score of 4-1. The Trojans haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Emily Needham spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 14 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 16 consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sydney Johnston, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Lily Stanford, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Central beat Smiths Station 6-2 on Wednesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Red Devils.
Allyson Supan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She pitched 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the fewest hits she has allowed since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, Gerritt Griggs was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Khloe Broadwater, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Central hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most five strikeouts in eight consecutive matches.
Central's win was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for Saint James, their record is now 19-2.
Central's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Saint James has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Central, though, as they've been averaging only 3.5 strikeouts. Will Saint James keep running through batters, or will Central buck the trend? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
