Hattiesburg is a perfect 3-0 against Lumberton since March of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as the Tigers challenge the Panthers at 11:00 a.m. Hattiesburg is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Hattiesburg took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They blew past Moss Point 14-2. The victory continues a trend for Hattiesburg in their matchups with Moss Point: they've now won three in a row.
Corey McDonald
| 02/28/25 vs Moss Point | 7 |
| 03/26/24 @ Natchez | 5 |
| 02/20/24 vs Moss Point | 5 |
| 04/16/24 @ North Forrest | 4 |
| 04/05/24 @ Jim Hill | 4 |
Corey McDonald looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and only one walk). Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
At the plate, Hattiesburg got a massive performance out of Joe Polk, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. What's more, Polk posted three hits, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. Jacob Polk was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-1.
Hattiesburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .655. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Moss Point only posted an OBP of .312.
While Lumberton didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-15-1), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They had just enough and edged out North Forrest 8-6.
Hunner Long was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Kolton Fairchild, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Lumberton pushed their record up to 6-1-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Hattiesburg, the victory got them back to even at 3-3.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hattiesburg has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Lumberton struggles in that department as they've averaged .449. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hattiesburg took their win against Lumberton when the teams last played back in March of 2021 by a conclusive 20-2. Will Hattiesburg repeat their success, or does Lumberton have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
