Southern Columbia Area hasn't had much luck against Hughesville recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Tigers are taking a road trip to challenge the Spartans at 4:30 p.m. Southern Columbia Area is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 12.2 runs per game this season.
It was a proper cat-fight when Southern Columbia Area took on Mifflinburg on Friday. The Tigers came out on top against the Wildcats by a score of 5-2.
Levi Everitt spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
Caden Hopper
| 03/19/25 @ Columbia Montour Vo-Tech | 3 |
| 04/11/25 vs Mifflinburg | 2 |
| 04/09/25 @ Loyalsock Township | 2 |
| 04/07/25 vs Bloomsburg | 2 |
| 03/31/25 @ Mahanoy Area | 2 |
| + 4 more games |
At the plate, Caden Hopper was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2. He is becoming a predictor of Southern Columbia Area's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-1 (and 1-2 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Ethan Makowski, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Hughesville never let their opponents score on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 12-0 margin over Bloomsburg. The Spartans might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by nine runs or more this season.
Hughesville also got a great performance from Blake Babb as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over 6.1 innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Jedidiah Abernatha was a standout: he scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Brenden Fisher, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Southern Columbia Area is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Hughesville, their record is now 5-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Southern Columbia Area has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hughesville struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Southern Columbia Area might still be hurting after the 10-4 defeat they got from Hughesville when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
