The Franklinton Red Rams are taking a road trip to face off against the Bunn Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Franklinton will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Thursday, then bounced right back against Nash Central on Tuesday. The Red Rams put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 16-5 win. Considering the Red Rams' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Madison Lada made a big impact no matter where she played. She pitched seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off eight hits. Lada was even better at the plate, scoring five runs and stealing three bases while going 4-for-5. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (three).
Madison Peebles
| 04/01/25 @ Nash Central | 2 |
| 03/19/25 @ Green Hope | 1 |
| 03/04/25 @ Roanoke Rapids | 1 |
| 02/28/25 @ Franklin Academy | 1 |
| 04/23/24 vs Rocky Mount | 1 |
In other batting news, Franklinton let Madison Peebles and Kaylei Main run wild. Peebles scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5, while Main scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance also gave Peebles a new career-high in doubles (two). Alydia Mitchell was another key player, scoring a run and stealing three bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Franklinton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Bunn made easy work of Northern Nash on Tuesday and carried off a 16-1 victory. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Knights: they've now won nine in a row.
Payton Wood and Madeline Bryson did most of the damage at the plate: Wood went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple, while Bryson scored four runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Peyton Alford, who scored three runs while going 2-for-4.
Bunn pushed their record up to 9-3 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Franklinton, their record is now 7-5.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Franklinton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .326. However, it's not like Bunn struggles in that department as they've averaged .418. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Franklinton might still be hurting after the 23-3 defeat they got from Bunn when the teams last played back in March. Can the Red Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
