Baseball Game Preview: Dudley Panthers vs. Rockingham County Cougars

For the second straight game, Dudley will face off against Rockingham County. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Dudley Panthers take on Rockingham County Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Dudley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.1 runs per game this season.

Dudley had been on a four-game streak of scoring at least ten runs, but Rockingham County put an end to it on Tuesday. The Panthers lost 13-1 to the Cougars. The Panthers have struggled against the Cougars recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost meeting.

For Rockingham County's part, Nick Rumbley spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 13 Ks. Rumbley has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Ethan Bognar was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing four bases while going 4-for-4. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke Stritmatter, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.

Rockingham County was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .419. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .375 or higher in eight consecutive matches.

Rockingham County pushed their record up to 13-1 with the win, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.2 runs over those games. As for Dudley, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-5.

Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Dudley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .522. However, it's not like Rockingham County struggles in that department as they've averaged .506. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.