The Nicholas County Grizzlies will take on the PikeView Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
The home team had come away the winner the last six times Nicholas County and Midland Trail had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Grizzlies were the clear victors by a 25-4 margin over the Patriots on Wednesday. The Grizzlies have beaten the Patriots the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Patriots has come to flipping the script.
Caleb Jarvis and Lucas Milam did most of the damage at the plate: Jarvis went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Milam got on base in all four of his plate appearances with four runs. That's the most runs Jarvis has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Coleton Hellems, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Nicholas County always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .596. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Midland Trail only posted an OBP of .318.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for PikeView, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over Bluefield on Wednesday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Panthers as it put an end to their nine-game losing streak.
Trenton Tolliver was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Tolliver was also big at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one triple. He has become a key player for PikeView: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 7-9 otherwise.
In other batting news, PikeView let Landon Wyatt and Eli Naylor run wild. Wyatt went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI, while Naylor went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Naylor is becoming a predictor of PikeView's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 7-9 when he doesn't). Eli Hilling was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI and one run.
PikeView's win bumped their record up to 11-9. As for Nicholas County, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 11-9.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Nicholas County has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.2 hits per game. However, it's not like PikeView struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.4 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Nicholas County suffered a grim 10-4 defeat to PikeView when the teams last played back in March. Will the Grizzlies have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
