Baseball Game Preview: Ripley Tigers vs. Bolton Wildcats

A feisty cat fight will be fought as Ripley Tigers duke it out with Bolton Wildcats at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Ripley took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against Tipton Christian Academy, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Ripley narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Tipton Christian Academy 3-2.

The team relied heavily on Alex Caldwell, who went 2-for-4 with one home run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. Brock Kirkpatrick was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Bolton). They blew past Douglass 17-4 on Thursday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Wildcats.

Marcus Taylor was a standout: he scored three runs and stole six bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Robert Cooper also deserves some recognition as he got his first hits of the season.

Bolton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .773. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Ripley's record is now 2-5. As for Bolton, their record now sits at 3-5.

Everything went Ripley's way against Bolton in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, as Ripley made off with a 16-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ripley since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.