Hickory hasn't had much luck against Alexander Central recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Tornadoes will be taking part in a tournament against the Cougars at 6:30 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Hickory's victory against Hibriten wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tornadoes won by a run and slipped past the Panthers 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Tornadoes have posted against the Panthers since April 27, 2017.
Meanwhile, Alexander Central got themselves on the board against Foard on Monday, but Foard never followed suit. They blew past the Tigers 10-0. Considering the Cougars have won seven matchups by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Jared Zientek looked comfortable as he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Koa Mikeal and Jude Carter did most of the damage at the plate: Mikeal went 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI, while Carter went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Kade Church, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Alexander Central is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 11 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-2 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.5 runs over those games. As for Hickory, their win bumped their record up to 8-6.
Hickory suffered a grim 11-4 defeat to Alexander Central in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Can the Tornadoes avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
