The Bethlehem Wildcats will head out on the road to challenge the Vernon Yellowjackets at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
It was a proper cat-fight when Bethlehem faced off against Gadsden County on Tuesday. The Wildcats' pitcher stepped up to hand the Jaguars a 24-0 shutout. While the Wildcats didn't have the best season last year (they finished 4-11), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Justin Miller
| 03/10/26 @ Gadsden County | 10 |
| 03/09/26 vs Poplar Springs | 4 |
| 03/02/26 @ Ponce De Leon | 9 |
| 02/26/26 @ Emmanuel Christian | 3 |
Justin Miller was a major factor no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over four innings pitched. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 5.2 strikeouts per game. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Kason Paul was incredible, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with one home run, six stolen bases, and four runs. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged two or more in each of the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Daiden Hardy, who went 2-for-4 with four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI.
Vernon came out on top against Altha on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive nine-run sixth inning. The Yellowjackets blew past the Wildcats 12-1. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Like Bethlehem, Vernon also got a great game from a two-way player: Hayden Thrasher. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Thrasher was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. That run marked the first that he has scored this season.
In other batting news, Vernon let Hunter Dyer and Russel Smith run wild. Dyer got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double, while Smith got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run. Those three stolen bases gave Smith a new career-high. Parker Gibson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Vernon hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Altha struck out ten times.
Vernon is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for Bethlehem, their record is now 5-1.
Bethlehem suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Vernon in their previous matchup back in April of 2025. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
