The Hampton County Hurricanes and the Bridges Prep Buccaneers, after both having extra time off, will shake off the rust and duke it out at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hampton County's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed last Thursday. They put the hurt on Whale Branch with a sharp 15-0 victory. The win continues a trend for the Hurricanes in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won four in a row.
Owen Shaffer
| 04/02/26 @ Whale Branch | 4 |
| 03/31/26 vs Whale Branch | 3 |
| 03/13/26 @ Edisto | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs Battery Creek | 2 |
| 03/20/26 vs Lake Marion | 1 |
Owen Shaffer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over four innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Hampton County is undefeated when he allows at most two earned runs, but 2-4 otherwise. Shaffer was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run and four RBI. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Jakarre Badger was a standout: he got on base in both of his plate appearances with five stolen bases and two runs. Shane Elmquist was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Hampton County always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .636. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Bridges Prep made easy work of Thomas Heyward Academy last Friday and carried off a 10-0 victory.
Like Hampton County, Bridges Prep also got a great game from a two-way player: Dawson Cook. On the mound, Cook tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Tavin Almendarez pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Cook has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. At bat, Cook went a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI, while Almendarez went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Bryce Young and Layton Tillotson did most of the damage at the plate: Young went a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI, while Tillotson went 1-for-3 with three runs and one double.
Hampton County now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Bridges Prep, their win bumped their record up to 13-2.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hampton County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .508. However, it's not like Bridges Prep struggles in that department as they've averaged .486. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
