The Lumberton Raiders will face off against the Liberty Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Lumberton will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Lumberton came out on top against West Fork on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive ten-run fourth inning. The Raiders put the hurt on the Gators with a sharp 14-1 win. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by six runs or more this season.
Carter Wilson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. What's more, he posted two hits, the most he's had since back in March.
In other batting news, Lumberton got a massive performance out of Gavin Harmse, who went 3-for-4 with five RBI, one triple, and one double. That's the most RBI Harmse has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke Cody, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Lumberton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Liberty ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Tarkington, sneaking past 6-5. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Longhorns: they've now won four in a row.
Zander Davila spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, Liberty saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Frankie Marez, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base and one run. Leyton Kirkland was another, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Lumberton pushed their record up to 21-7-1 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Liberty, their win bumped their record up to 16-10-1.
Both Lumberton and Liberty just can't seem to miss. The Raiders have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Liberty struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lumberton might still be hurting after the 9-3 loss they got from Liberty in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Will the Raiders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
