Avery County is 0-3 against East Wilkes since March of 2019 but things could change on Thursday. The Vikings will look to defend their home field against the Cardinals at 4:30 p.m. Avery County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Avery County got their first taste of in-conference action on Tuesday and they started things off strong. They blew past Rosman 13-6. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Finley Trivett and Jameson Wanner were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, 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.
Oak Markland
| 04/01/25 @ Rosman | 3 |
| 03/26/25 @ Elkin | 2 |
| 03/21/25 @ Draughn | 2 |
| 03/25/25 vs Owen | 1 |
| 03/10/25 vs Freedom | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Oak Markland, who went 2-for-5 with three runs and one triple. He is becoming a predictor of Avery County's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 0-6 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Aaron King, who scored a run while going 2-for-5.
Avery County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 2-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, East Wilkes sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 win over Alleghany on Tuesday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Cardinals.
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 nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Avery County's victory bumped their record up to 2-7. As for East Wilkes, their win bumped their record up to 8-3.
Avery County might still be hurting after the 19-9 defeat they got from East Wilkes when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Vikings avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
