Hoover is 0-3 against Ripley since May of 2017 but things could change on Friday. Hoover will look to take advantage of their home field for the first time this season as they takes on Ripley at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Thursday, Hoover was able to grind out a solid victory over Wayne, taking the game 10-6. With that win, the Huskies brought their scoring average up to 7 runs per game.
Braydon Bounds
| 03/27/25 @ Wayne | 5 |
| 05/09/24 @ Lewis County | 2 |
| 03/21/25 @ Nitro | 1 |
| 05/07/24 vs Roane County | 1 |
| 05/01/24 @ Logan | 1 |
The team relied heavily on Braydon Bounds, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, five RBI, and one double. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Peyton Grigsby was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Bounds wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Hoover kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Ripley, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Nitro a 12-0 shutout on Tuesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Landon Meadows was a major factor no matter where he played. He kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Meadows was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Ripley let Bryson Casto and Jackson Curry run wild. Casto scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2, while Curry scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2. Casto is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Eli Phalen, who scored a run and stole two bases.
Ripley's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 1-2. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Hoover, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
Hoover might still be hurting after the 6-0 loss they got from Ripley in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can Hoover avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
