The Myrtle Hawks will take on the Stringer Red Devils at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Myrtle 2.7, Stringer 2.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Myrtle is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They had just enough and edged out West Union 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Hawks have posted since May 9, 2024.
Brooklyn Streich spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Ally Murphy
| 05/09/25 @ West Union | 2 |
| 04/24/25 vs Vardaman | 1 |
| 04/10/25 vs Jumpertown | 1 |
| 04/08/25 vs Ashland | 1 |
| 03/27/25 vs Pine Grove | 1 |
At the plate, Ally Murphy was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Shelby Thompson, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs.
Meanwhile, Stringer had already won 17 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.2 runs) and they went ahead and made it 18 on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 16-1 margin over the Yellowjackets. The Red Devils might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 18 contests by seven runs or more this season.
Madilyn Graham made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. Graham was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jaycee Holifield, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and four RBI. Rylei Pickerell also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.
Stringer was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .314 or higher in three consecutive matches.
Stringer pushed their record up to 25-3-2 with the victory, which was their ninth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Myrtle, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 25-6 record this season.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Myrtle has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .531. However, it's not like Stringer struggles in that department as they've averaged .498. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Myrtle took their victory against Stringer in their previous meeting back in May of 2021 by a conclusive 7-1 score. Will the Hawks repeat their success, or do the Red Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
