Softball Game Preview: Hixson Wildcats vs. Heritage Mountaineers

The Hixson Wildcats will venture away from home to face off against the Heritage Mountaineers at 12:30 p.m. on Monday.

Hixson fell victim to Soddy Daisy and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They lost 10-0 to the Trojans. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last six times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Meanwhile, Heritage came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 4-1 victory over the Panthers.

Elishia Byrd spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Heritage saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Katelyn Russell, who went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Heritage was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lenoir City only posted a batting average of .250.

Heritage's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 24-8. As for Hixson, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost ten of their last 11 contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 13-18-1 record this season.

Hixson came up short against Heritage when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 5-1. Can the Wildcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.