The Petersburg Vikings will face off against the Pendleton County Wildcat at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Petersburg 3, Pendleton County 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Tuesday, Petersburg earned a 6-1 win over Tucker County. The victory continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Mountain Lions: they've now won three in a row.
Addie Kitzmiller was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. She also put up two doubles, which were her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Shyane Tawney, who scored a run and stole three bases while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Pendleton County entered their tilt with Moorefield on Tuesday with seven consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with eight. They put the hurt on the Yellow Jackets with a sharp 7-1 win. The Wildcat might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight matchups by six runs or more this season.
Baylee Beachler was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Avery Townsend, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last three times she's played. Jenna Smith was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Pendleton County pushed their record up to 8-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Petersburg, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Petersburg has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pendleton County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Petersburg beat Pendleton County 6-2 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildcat turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
