Mustangs
| 04/29/25 vs Green Level | 9 |
| 04/25/25 @ Apex | 4 |
| 04/22/25 @ Cary | 17 |
| 04/17/25 vs Holly Springs | 1 |
| 04/15/25 @ Apex Friendship | 0 |
| + 12 more games |
The Middle Creek Mustangs will head out on the road to square off against the Panther Creek Catamounts at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Middle Creek is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
Middle Creek took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They walked away with a 9-4 win over Green Level. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Gators: they've now won eight in a row.
Hailey Hoeft was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three RBI and two runs.
In other batting news, Middle Creek got a massive performance out of Kennedy Johnson, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Kristen Norton was another key player, going 3-for-4 with four runs.
Middle Creek was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .412. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Panther Creek never got on the board in their matchup on Tuesday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Cary on Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Imps with a sharp 17-9 win.
Like Middle Creek, Panther Creek also got a great game from a two-way player: Jessica Burk. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up seven earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. Burk was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and one stolen base. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Panther Creek let Hannah Welborn and Cassidy Robinson run wild. Welborn went 3-for-5 with four stolen bases and four runs, while Robinson got on base in three of her five plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those three hits gave Welborn a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Burt, who got on base in two of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Middle Creek's record now sits at 8-9. As for Panther Creek, their record is now 7-10.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Middle Creek has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Panther Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Middle Creek took their victory against Panther Creek in their previous meeting back in April by a conclusive 12-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mustangs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
