East Wilkes has gone a perfect 3-0 against Avery County recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Cardinals will face off against the Vikings at 4:30 p.m. The last three games East Wilkes has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While East Wilkes' victory against Alleghany wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Cardinals sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 win over the Trojans on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Cardinals in their matchups with the Trojans: they've now won six in a row.
Elijah Johnson
| 04/01/25 vs Alleghany | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs South Stokes | 0 |
| 03/25/25 @ South Stokes | 1 |
| 03/18/25 vs Elkin | 1 |
| 03/14/25 vs Mount Airy | 2 |
Elijah Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up six Ks. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, Avery County got their first taste of in-conference action on Tuesday and they started things off strong. They blew past Rosman 13-6. With that win, the Vikings brought their scoring average up to 6.3 runs per game.
Finley Trivett and Jameson Wanner made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Trivett tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Wanner struck out 11 batters over 4.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off only one hit. Trivett also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Avery County is 2-1 when he allows at most three earned runs, but 0-6 otherwise. At bat, Trivett scored two runs while going 3-for-4, while Wanner scored a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Oak Markland was excellent, going 2-for-5 with three runs and one triple. Avery County is 2-1 when Markland posts two or more runs, but 0-6 otherwise. Kaleb Liner also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Avery County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 14 hits in three consecutive matches.
East Wilkes' record is now 8-3. As for Avery County, their record now sits at 2-7.
East Wilkes took their victory against Avery County in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 19-9 score. Will the Cardinals repeat their success, or do the Vikings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
