The Apex Cougars will face off against the Holly Springs Golden Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Apex is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
Apex Friendship hit Apex with a five-run third inning on Wednesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Cougars took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Patriots. The Cougars haven't had much luck with the Patriots recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Lauren McMahon was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Leah Kendall, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Holly Springs had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. They never let the Catamounts get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory. The game snapped a strange streak: the last six times these teams have met, it?s been the away team that?s taken home the W.
Kaylyn Boles and Zoe Peptis did most of the damage at the plate: Boles fired off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 2-for-2, while Peptis went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. Those two home runs gave Boles a new career-high. Hayley Marlowe was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Holly Springs always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .696. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Holly Springs pushed their record up to 16-4 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Apex, their loss dropped their record down to 11-8.
Both Apex and Holly Springs just can't seem to miss. The Cougars have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.6 hits per game. However, it's not like Holly Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 4.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Apex suffered a grim 18-6 defeat to Holly Springs in their previous matchup back in April. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
