Gretna hasn't had much luck against Appomattox County recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Hawks are taking a road trip to take on the Raiders at 6:00 p.m.
Chatham hit Gretna with a four-run sixth inning on Wednesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Hawks fell just short of the Cavaliers by a score of 6-5.
Alyssa Keesee
| 05/21/25 vs Chatham | 12 |
| 05/20/25 vs Altavista | 6 |
| 05/19/25 @ William Campbell | 6 |
| 05/15/25 @ Nelson County | 6 |
Alyssa Keesee was huge no matter where she played even without the win. She struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Sophia Brooks made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
Meanwhile, Appomattox County had already won ten in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it 11 on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 14-2 margin over the Wildcats. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Like Gretna, Appomattox County also got a great game from a two-way player: Paisley Mann. On the mound, Mann tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Chloe Vaughan pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. At bat, Mann went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Vaughan went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Appomattox County let MaKenzie Elliott and Bailey Hamilton run wild. Elliott went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base, while Hamilton went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Those three stolen bases gave Hamilton a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Sydney Bryant, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Appomattox County always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Dan River only posted an OBP of .211.
Appomattox County's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Gretna, their loss dropped their record down to 7-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gretna has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Appomattox County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 11.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gretna suffered a grim 14-0 defeat to Appomattox County when the teams last played on May 2nd. Can the Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
