Hayden is 7-1 against Gardendale since March of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Hayden Wildcats will be playing at home against the Gardendale Rockets at 5:00 p.m. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hayden scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Wednesday. They never let Fairview onto the board and left with a 17-0 victory. Hayden's offense finally found a way to get into gear: the high-octane performance was a 180-degree turn from their last three games.
Gracie Butler made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only one hit while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Butler has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single walk in three consecutive pitching appearances. Butler was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Baylee Scott was excellent, going 2-for-2 with a triple, a stolen base, and a run. Kiley Weston was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 1-for-4.
Gardendale has not done well against Mortimer Jordan recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Gardendale had just enough and edged Mortimer Jordan out 4-3.
Sophie Gant spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kenley Vaughn, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Hayden's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-11-2. Those good results were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs per game. As for Gardendale, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-4-1 record this season.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both team's pitchers. Hayden hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .316. However, it's not like Gardendale struggles in that department as they've averaged .319. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hayden beat Gardendale 9-6 in their previous matchup back in April of 2018. Will Hayden repeat their success, or does Gardendale have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
