The Southern Trojans will venture away from home to take on the Nelson County Cardinals at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Southern is coming into the matchup on a three-game losing streak.
Southern blew Anderson County out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Wednesday Anderson County got their revenge. The Trojans fell just short of the Bearcats by a score of 6-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Trojans have suffered since April 3rd.
Southern saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Richard Hernandez, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Green County hit Nelson County with a seven-run fifth inning on Monday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Cardinals fell just short of the Dragons by a score of 10-9. The Cardinals' loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
E Rogers was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one run.
In other batting news, D Minter was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Trey Sparrow also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Southern's record now sits at 15-10. As for Nelson County, their record is now 14-9.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Southern has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Nelson County struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Southern came out on top in a nail-biter against Nelson County when the teams last played back in April of 2022, sneaking past 8-7. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Trojans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
