Pendleton County is 0-8 against Jefferson since May of 2016 but things could change on Friday. The Wildcat will look to defend their home field against the Cougars at 11:00 a.m. Pendleton County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
On Monday, Pendleton County came up short against Petersburg and fell 5-1.
Meanwhile, Jefferson had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Golden Tornado a 9-0 shutout. Considering the Cougars have won 11 matchups by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Keyser's batters probably weren't too happy with Mason Lowery, who pitched a no hitter and racked up seven Ks (he gave up two walks). Lowery has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Nayan Dominguez and Andrew Rolfe did most of the damage at the plate: Dominguez went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Rolfe got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two doubles, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most hits Dominguez has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Andy Roberts, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with three RBI and one run.
Jefferson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Keyser only posted an OBP of .160.
Jefferson's victory bumped their record up to 18-4. As for Pendleton County, their loss dropped their record down to 10-13.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Pendleton County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .449. However, it's not like Jefferson struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pendleton County might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Jefferson in their previous matchup back in May of 2025. Can the Wildcat avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
