The Roanoke Rapids Yellowjackets will take on the North Lenoir Hawks on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Roanoke Rapids 1.8, North Lenoir 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Roanoke Rapids is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Wallace-Rose Hill a 2-0 shutout.
Not much got past Cadence Ball, who gave up just two hits and racked up 16 Ks to keep Wallace-Rose Hill off the board. Ball has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Madelyn Bell, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, North Lenoir made easy work of SouthWest Edgecombe on Tuesday and carried off a 19-4 victory. Considering the Hawks have won 13 contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Maddie Rouse made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in March. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
In other batting news, Alyssa Hatcher was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Allie Reaves, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
North Lenoir hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as SouthWest Edgecombe struck out seven times.
North Lenoir has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.6 runs over those games. As for Roanoke Rapids, they pushed their record up to 15-5 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Roanoke Rapids has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like North Lenoir struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
