The Kennesaw Mountain Mustangs are taking a road trip to square off against the Paulding County Patriots at 5:55 p.m. on Monday. Paulding County took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Kennesaw Mountain, who comes in off a win.
Last Saturday, Kennesaw Mountain got the win against Wheeler by a conclusive 15-5. The Mustangs haven't had any issues with the Wildcats recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Austin Carter was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). Carter was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Isander Poventud, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. What's more, he posted three RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jake Phelps, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of his five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Paulding County was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-3 heartbreaker at the hands of North Cobb.
Paulding County also got a good showing from Braden Bodnar, who pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Bodnar has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Tucker White and Jacob Clayton did some serious damage despite the final result: White went 1-for-4 with three RBI and one double, while Clayton scored a run while going 3-for-3. That double marked the first that White's hit this season.
Kennesaw Mountain's record now sits at 2-0. As for Paulding County, their loss dropped their record down to 1-5.
Kennesaw Mountain beat Paulding County 4-1 in their previous matchup last Friday. The rematch might be a little tougher for Kennesaw Mountain since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
