The Southwest Guilford Cowboys will head out on the road to face off against the Northern Guilford Nighthawks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Southwest Guilford has given up an average of 6.7 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Last Wednesday, Southwest Guilford came up short against Central Davidson and fell 11-8.
Makayla Stefanik was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI. Aniya Harris also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, Northern Guilford waltzed into their match on Thursday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They put the hurt on the Patriots with a sharp 9-3 victory. The result was nothing new for the Nighthawks, who have now won eight games by six runs or more so far this season.
Morgan Headen made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She pitched three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Anna Kimrey, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Taylor Claassen, who scored three runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Northern Guilford kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in three consecutive contests.
Northern Guilford's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Southwest Guilford, their loss dropped their record down to 9-7.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Southwest Guilford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .490. However, it's not like Northern Guilford struggles in that department as they've averaged .473. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Southwest Guilford skirted past Northern Guilford 11-9 when the teams last played back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cowboys since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
