Softball Game Preview: West Iredell Warriors vs. Hickory Red Tornadoes

For the second straight game, West Iredell will face off against Hickory. The Warriors will be playing at home against the Red Tornadoes at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. West Iredell is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.

West Iredell will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Friday, then bounced right back against Hickory on Tuesday. The Warriors put the hurt on the Red Tornadoes with a sharp 13-7 victory. The Warriors haven't had any issues with the Red Tornadoes recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.

Taylor Stikeleather

Batters Struck Out (Career)

04/08/25 @ Hickory	11
03/25/25 @ Statesville	10
04/10/24 vs Hickory	9
04/16/24 @ Statesville	7
04/26/24 @ Hickory	6

Taylor Stikeleather made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. Those 11 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-5.

In other batting news, Brianna Morrison was a standout: she scored two runs and stole four bases while going 2-for-4. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March of 2024. Kendell Harrelson was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.

West Iredell kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

Hickory is on a seven-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-10. As for West Iredell, their victory bumped their record up to 3-6.