Cape Fear has won four straight games at home, while North Johnston has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Monday. The Colts will welcome the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Cape Fear came out on top against Hoggard on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive ten-run fifth inning. The Colts put the hurt on the Vikings with a sharp 12-4 win. Cape Fear's victory was all the more impressive since the Vikings were averaging only 3.5 runs allowed on the season.
Karalina Tomasic looked comfortable as she tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Amari Adams, who went 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Allie Dawson, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run.
Cape Fear kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in ten consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when North Johnston duked it out with Goldsboro last Thursday. The Panthers were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over the Cougars.
Victoria Sasser made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. Sasser was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those three runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, North Johnston got a massive performance out of Camden Ford, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Samantha Johnson was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
Cape Fear's win bumped their record up to 17-3. As for North Johnston, their victory bumped their record up to 8-3.
Monday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cape Fear hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .502. However, it's not like North Johnston struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Cape Fear's way against North Johnston in their previous matchup back in March, as Cape Fear made off with a 13-0 win. Will the Colts repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
