North Gaston hasn't had much luck against Crest recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Wildcats will look to defend their home field against the Chargers at 5:00 p.m. North Gaston is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
North Gaston's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 13-0 margin over Bessemer City. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their two-run performance the game before.
Layla Love
| 04/09/25 @ Bessemer City | 4 |
| 03/12/25 vs East Gaston | 3 |
| 03/11/25 vs Ashbrook | 3 |
| 03/13/25 @ Stuart W. Cramer | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Ashbrook | 1 |
Layla Love and Maddie Carpenter did most of the damage at the plate: Love went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one run, while Carpenter scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Those four RBI gave Love a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaydance Hampton, who scored two runs while going 3-for-5.
North Gaston was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Crest was able to grind out a solid victory over McDowell on Tuesday, taking the game 5-2. The Chargers haven't had any issues with the Titans recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Aidan Ledbetter spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Hayden Lail, who fired off two home runs while going 2-for-3. Zoi Richardson also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Crest pushed their record up to 14-2 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for North Gaston, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 7-9 record this season.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. North Gaston hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .332. However, it's not like Crest struggles in that department as they've averaged .355. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
North Gaston couldn't quite finish off Crest when the teams last played back in March and fell 3-1. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
