Hazelwood Central is 2-8 against McCluer North since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Hawks will square off against the Stars at 4:15 p.m. Hazelwood Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Hazelwood Central will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Hazelwood East on Tuesday. The Hawks blew past the Spartans 16-1. Considering the Hawks have won eight contests by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Jace Dickson made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two hits in nine consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
Julius Reed
| 05/13/25 vs Hazelwood East | 4 |
| 05/07/25 vs McCluer | 3 |
| 04/17/25 vs McCluer North | 3 |
| 04/11/25 @ McCluer | 3 |
| 04/01/25 vs Jennings | 3 |
In other batting news, Julius Reed was incredible, going 2-for-4 with four stolen bases, four runs, and one RBI. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Morgan Wilbret, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs.
McCluer North came out on top against University City on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run third inning. The Stars walked away with an 8-4 victory over the Lions. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Stars.
The team relied heavily on Jayden Thomas, who went 1-for-2 with four stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Jordan Taylor was another key player, going 1-for-2 with four stolen bases and two runs.
Hazelwood Central has been performing well recently as they've won seven of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for McCluer North, their victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-12.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hazelwood Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .472. However, it's not like McCluer North struggles in that department as they've averaged .462. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hazelwood Central took their win against McCluer North when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 10-3 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Hawks since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
