The Northern Guilford Nighthawks will face off against the Ledford Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Northern Guilford is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.
Northern Guilford blew Southwest Guilford out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Tuesday Southwest Guilford got their revenge. Northern Guilford fell just short of Southwest Guilford by a score of 11-9. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Nighthawks have suffered against the Cowboys since March 6, 2020.
Dakotah Wilkins
| 03/11/25 @ Southwest Guilford | 12 |
| 03/07/25 vs Southeast Guilford | 16 |
| 03/06/25 @ Central Davidson | 8 |
| 03/04/25 vs Ragsdale | 9 |
| 02/25/25 @ Randleman | 13 |
Dakotah Wilkins put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off only two hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, Asyah Smith was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4. Ava Best was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Even though they lost, Northern Guilford kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Ledford is still undefeated this season after their game against West Davidson on Monday, but West Davidson came as close as anyone has to beating them. Ledford came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 6-5 W against West Davidson. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since April 19, 2024.
Leah Leonard spent all 11 innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up 15 Ks. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in strikeouts.
At the plate, Emma Tesh was excellent, going 2-for-5 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Cassidy Murray, who scored two runs and stole Two bases.
Ledford pushed their record up to 4-0 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. As for Northern Guilford, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-3.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Northern Guilford has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9 hits per game. However, it's not like Ledford struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northern Guilford skirted past Ledford 12-10 in their previous meeting back in March of 2022. Will Northern Guilford repeat their success, or does Ledford have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
