Middle Creek is 2-8 against Apex Friendship since March of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Mustangs will take on the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a five-game winning streak alive.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Middle Creek and Green Hope had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Mustangs put the hurt on the Falcons with a sharp 14-2 win on Monday. With that victory, the Mustangs brought their scoring average up to 6.6 runs per game.
Hailey Hoeft was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Kennedy Johnson
| 04/14/25 @ Green Hope | 6 |
| 04/08/25 vs Panther Creek | 3 |
| 03/26/25 @ Green Level | 1 |
| 03/25/25 vs Apex | 1 |
| 03/24/25 vs Cary | 1 |
In other batting news, Kennedy Johnson was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with six RBI, one triple, and one run. Those six RBI gave her a new career-high. Logan Ireland also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Apex Friendship made easy work of Green Level on Monday and carried off an 11-1 win. Considering the Patriots have won six matches by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Apex Friendship also got a great performance from Maura Schwanke as she struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk).
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sydney Joyce, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Kaylee Marquis was another key player, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3.
Apex Friendship always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Green Level only posted an OBP of .167.
Apex Friendship's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Middle Creek, the victory got them back to even at 6-6.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Middle Creek has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Apex Friendship struggles in that department as they've averaged .470. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Middle Creek might still be hurting after the 9-1 loss they got from Apex Friendship when the teams last played back in March. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
