The Whitewright Tigers will challenge the Cooper Bulldogs at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Whitewright's pitching crew has only allowed 2.7 runs per game this season, so Cooper's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Whitewright is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Leonard just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Friday. They took a 4-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of Leonard. Having soared to a lofty 14 runs in the game before, Whitewright couldn't push the score so high this time.
Graham Elliott spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Whitewright saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ty Roland, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI. That double was Roland's first of the season.
Meanwhile, Cooper got the win against Cumby on Friday by a conclusive 7-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bulldogs.
Jace Meeks made a splash while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run over 4.2 innings pitched. Meeks was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Levi Oneal, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Karter Randle, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
The win got Cooper back to even at 2-2. As for Whitewright, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-2.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Whitewright has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .579. However, it's not like Cooper struggles in that department as they've averaged .461. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Whitewright skirted past Cooper 8-7 when the teams last played back in May of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Whitewright since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
