The Vancleave Bulldogs will square off against the George County Rebels at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Vancleave will be coming into the contest with an undefeated record on the line.
Vancleave gave up the first runs on Saturday, but they didn't let that get them down. They had just enough and edged out Forrest County Agricultural 4-3.
Carter Doze tossed a big game, tossing 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. What's more, he gave up only one walk, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Martin Shaw, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Aidan Tapp also deserves some recognition as he stolen his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask George County). They were the clear victor by a 17-10 margin over Greene County on Saturday. The Rebels haven't had any issues with the Wildcats recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Cayler Havard was excellent, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his six plate appearances. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Ben Davis, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-5.
George County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Vancleave's win was their tenth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-0. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for George County, they picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 4-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Vancleave has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like George County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Vancleave came up short against George County in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, falling 4-1. Can Vancleave avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
