South Laurel has gone 8-2 against Clay County recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Cardinals will square off against the Tigers at 6:30 p.m. South Laurel is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
South Laurel came out on top against Madison Southern on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run seventh inning. The Cardinals put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 10-3 victory. Winning may never get old, but the Cardinals sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Kenzie Williams made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two doubles. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April.
R Bretz
| 05/15/25 @ Madison Southern | 3 |
| 05/12/25 @ Somerset | 2 |
| 05/10/25 vs Montgomery County | 0 |
| 05/05/25 vs Pulaski County | 2 |
| 05/01/25 vs Corbin | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
In other batting news, R Bretz was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, four RBI, and one run. That's the most hits she has posted over her last seven matchups. Another player making a difference was Morgan Jackson, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and one double.
South Laurel kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Clay County, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-0 win over Harlan County on Thursday. The victory continues a trend for the Tigers in their matchups with the Black Bears: they've now won three in a row.
Not much got past Abby Bowling, who gave up just three hits and racked up 13 Ks to keep Harlan County off the board.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Presley Griffin, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
South Laurel pushed their record up to 25-5 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.2 runs over those games. As for Clay County, their record now sits at 10-13.
Clay County's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: South Laurel has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .469. It's a different story for Clay County, though, as they've only averaged .365. Will they be able to contain South Laurel's hitters?
Everything went South Laurel's way against Clay County in their previous meeting back in April, as South Laurel made off with a 7-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cardinals since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
