The Har-Ber Wildcats will square off against the Ozark Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Har-Ber is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
Ozark will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Har-Ber extended their winning streak to three on Tuesday. Everything went the Wildcats' way against Southside as they made off with a 13-5 win.
BLAINE VAN HILSEN
| 04/22/25 vs Southside | 4 |
| 04/15/25 vs Fayetteville | 1 |
| 03/18/25 vs Northside | 1 |
| 03/13/25 @ Farmington | 1 |
BLAINE VAN HILSEN made a big impact no matter where he played. He tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off seven hits. VAN HILSEN was even better at the plate, going 1-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one run. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Har-Ber let JAXON PICKARD and LUKE CORNELISON run wild. PICKARD got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI, while CORNELISON got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. That's the most runs PICKARD has posted since back in March. AIDEN EVANS was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Ozark, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Lebanon 5-3. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Cooper Pumphrey tossed a big game, striking out ten batters over 5.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off eight hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Luke Baer and Quentin Combs did most of the damage at the plate: Baer got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI, while Combs went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. That stolen base marked the first that Baer has snagged this season.
Har-Ber pushed their record up to 16-5 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Ozark, their win bumped their record up to 15-5.
Har-Ber's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Wildcats have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Ozark, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Har-Ber continue to outrun the ball?
Har-Ber took their victory against Ozark in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 8-1 score. Do the Wildcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Tigers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
