The Apex Friendship Patriots will challenge the Lumberton Pirates at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Apex Friendship will be looking to extend their current 11-game winning streak.
Apex Friendship had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Holly Springs on Thursday. The Patriots never let the Golden Hawks get on the board and left with a 9-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Patriots, who have now won 11 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
The result came thanks to Owen Cirasole's shutout, as he gave up just three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Connor Payne was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Jason Brown was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Apex Friendship kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Holly Springs only managed three hits.
Meanwhile, Lumberton didn't have quite enough to beat Gray's Creek on Friday and fell 5-3.
Jace Wilson was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits.
On the hitting side, Lumberton saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Brennan Griffin, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Apex Friendship's win bumped their record up to 21-6. As for Lumberton, their defeat dropped their record down to 15-8.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Apex Friendship hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Lumberton struggles in that department as they've averaged .342. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
