The Mountain Heritage Cougars will head out to face off against the Swain County Maroon Devils at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mountain Heritage is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top against Leadership Academy by a score of 9-2 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Caden Carrol
| 04/08/25 @ Rosman | 6 |
| 04/17/25 vs Avery County | 3 |
| 04/15/25 @ Avery County | 3 |
| 03/14/25 @ Owen | 3 |
| 05/06/25 @ Leadership Academy | 2 |
| + 11 more games |
Caden Carrol made a big impact no matter where he played. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs. He has become a key player for Mountain Heritage: the team is 6-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 4-9 otherwise.
In other batting news, Brayden Deyton was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Mountain Heritage is undefeated when Deyton posts two or more runs, but 4-11 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Branson Fox, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Mountain Heritage hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are 3-1 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last matchup, Swain County made sure to put some runs up on the board against Piedmont Community Charter on Tuesday. The Maroon Devils were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over the Patriots. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Maroon Devils' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Will Holden made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. Holden was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jones Robinson, who went 1-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Jon Stephenson was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Mountain Heritage is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-11 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Swain County, their record is now 12-8.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Mountain Heritage has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .448. However, it's not like Swain County struggles in that department as they've averaged .445. 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.
