The Pinecrest Patriots will face off against the Union Pines Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Pinecrest has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the contest with five straight losses, while Union Pines will come in with five straight wins.
Pinecrest lost 9-3 to Hoke County on Friday.
Amaris Welch was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two RBI, and one double. Emily Hatcher was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Union Pines and Southern Lee had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. Union Pines put the hurt on Southern Lee with a sharp 16-2 victory on Friday.
Allie Bauer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits (and not a single walk). Those eight strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Elizabeth Andrews was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Madison Stein, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Union Pines kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 22 hits. They are 3-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Union Pines pushed their record up to 6-5 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Pinecrest, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-8.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pinecrest hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .359. However, it's not like Union Pines struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pinecrest suffered a grim 15-3 defeat to Union Pines in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will Pinecrest have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
