South Mecklenburg is 2-8 against Ardrey Kell since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. South Mecklenburg will host Ardrey Kell at 6:45 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (South Mecklenburg 3.9, Ardrey Kell 3.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Friday, South Mecklenburg got the win against Sun Valley by a conclusive 11-1. The result was nothing new for the Sabres, who have now won five contests by ten runs or more so far this season.
Reese Guertin made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
Chris Short
| 03/28/25 vs Sun Valley | 3 |
| 03/18/25 @ Palisades | 1 |
| 03/14/25 @ Berry | 1 |
| 03/19/24 vs Palisades | 1 |
| 02/29/24 vs Watauga | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chris Short, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and one RBI. Those three stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Gabe Luke-Judy, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
South Mecklenburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .594. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Ardrey Kell fell victim to Myers Park and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They fell just short of the Mustangs by a score of 2-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Knights have suffered against the Mustangs since May 12, 2022.
Michael Manus was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits.
At the plate, Ardrey Kell saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Parker Vanstory, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base.
Ardrey Kell's defeat dropped their record down to 8-5. As for South Mecklenburg, they have been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-6 record this season.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. South Mecklenburg has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Ardrey Kell struggles in that department as they've averaged .447. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
South Mecklenburg skirted past Ardrey Kell 2-1 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will South Mecklenburg repeat their success, or does Ardrey Kell has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
