The Tygarts Valley Bulldogs will square off against the Philip Barbour Colts at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Tygarts Valley is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
The home team had won the previous two meetings between Tygarts Valley and Tucker County, and Tygarts Valley kept the tradition alive. The Bulldogs blew past the Mountain Lions 14-2 on Monday. Considering the Bulldogs have won 11 matchups by more than six runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Kendall Armstrong and Ian Harris were major factors no matter where they played. Throwing, Armstrong tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Harris pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. At bat, Armstrong earned three RBI and one stolen base, while Harris went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases Harris has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Tygarts Valley let Jacob Wamsley and Jaxon Drennen run wild. Wamsley went 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI, while Drennen went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases Drennen has posted since back in March. Adam Woods was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Tygarts Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .552. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Tucker County only posted an OBP of .263.
Meanwhile, Philip Barbour faced Bridgeport in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Colts fell just short of the Indians by a score of 4-3. The Colts' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Philip Barbour saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Landyn Carpenter, who went 3-for-5 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Tygarts Valley's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-7. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Philip Barbour, their loss dropped their record down to 20-6.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Tygarts Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like Philip Barbour struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tygarts Valley couldn't quite finish off Philip Barbour in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 and fell 8-6. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
