The Triton Hawks are taking a road trip to take on the Union Pines Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Triton sitting on three straight victories and Union Pines on four.
Triton proved they can win big on Friday (they won by 11) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 win over Harnett Central.
Triton's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Kason Brown, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Union Pines got the win against Western Harnett on Monday by a conclusive 17-4. Considering the Vikings have won nine games by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Joey Ring was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Dylan Benedict was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2025. Another player making a difference was Lucas Blackwood, who went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.
Union Pines kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive contests.
Triton's record now sits at 12-10. As for Union Pines, their record is now 17-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Triton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Union Pines struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Triton couldn't quite get it done against Union Pines in their previous matchup last Friday as they fell 9-4. Can the Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
