The Wharton Wildcats will face off against the Sumner Stingrays at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Wharton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Wharton will bounce into Wednesday's matchup after beating Gaither, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Wildcats came out on top against the Cowboys by a score of 13-10 on Monday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their one-run performance the contest before.
Madelyn Parker and Khloe Gonzalez did most of the damage at the plate: Parker went 3-for-5 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run, while Gonzalez went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. That's the most hits Gonzalez has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Adriana Cadicamo, who went 1-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Wharton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 9-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Sumner came up short against Wesley Chapel on Tuesday and fell 10-6.
Victoria Baker put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. Baker was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
In other batting news, Riley Wine made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double. Victoria Rudolph was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Wharton has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-10 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Sumner, their loss dropped their record down to 14-10.
Wednesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Wharton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Sumner struggles in that department as they've averaged .342. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Wharton suffered a grim 19-4 defeat to Sumner when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
