The Pisgah Bears will venture away from home to square off against the West Carteret Patriots at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Pisgah will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
Pisgah took a seven-run defeat the last time they faced off against Franklin, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Bears narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Panthers 6-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bears have posted against the Panthers since March 22, 2022.
Sadie Messer spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four runs (all of which were unearned) on six hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
Jaiden Smith
| 04/10/25 vs Franklin | 2 |
| 03/07/25 @ Smoky Mountain | 1 |
| 05/07/24 @ Central Cabarrus | 1 |
| 05/01/24 @ East Henderson | 1 |
| 04/29/24 vs Tuscola | 1 |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jaiden Smith, who scored a run while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two). Another player making a difference was Alexis Markos, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-4.
Smith wasn't the only one making solid contact: Pisgah kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The Bears are 9-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, West Carteret was a bit more limited in their game on Monday. They fell 4-0 to South Central. The matchup marked the first time this season in which the Patriots were not able to get on the board.
Caitlin Dumarce was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out 12 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits.
Pisgah pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for West Carteret, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 15-2.
Pisgah's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Bears have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for West Carteret, though, as they've been averaging only 0.5 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Pisgah continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
