The Alexander Central Cougars will head out on the road to face off against the McDowell Titans at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Alexander Central's pitching crew has only allowed 2.9 runs per game this season, so McDowell's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
McDowell will be up against a hot Alexander Central squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. The Cougars walked away with a 10-7 win over St. Stephens on Friday. Alexander Central's victory was all the more impressive since the Indians were averaging only 3.38 runs allowed on the season.
Jude Carter
| 03/13/26 @ St. Stephens | 2 |
| 03/06/26 @ North Iredell | 1 |
| 02/27/26 vs Davie County | 1 |
Jude Carter made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. That stolen base was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Alexander Central let Gunnar Johnson and Sawyer Chapman-Mays run wild. Johnson went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base, while Chapman-Mays went 1-for-3 with two runs and one double. That double marked the first that Chapman-Mays has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Graham Hoke, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Friday just wasn't the day for McDowell's offense. They came up short against South Caldwell on Friday, falling 12-0. The matchup marked the first time this season in which the Titans were not able to get on the board.
Alexander Central's record is now 7-1. As for McDowell, their loss dropped their record down to 3-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Alexander Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like McDowell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Alexander Central couldn't quite get it done against McDowell when the teams last played back in May of 2021 as they fell 6-3. Can the Cougars avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
