Hardaway is 0-10 against Columbus since August of 2017 but things could change on Tuesday. The Hardaway Hawks are on the road again to play the Columbus Blue Devils at 5:30 p.m. Hardaway is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 13.5 runs per game this season.
Hardaway lost 11-3 to Shaw on Tuesday.
Hardaway saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Shelby Huff, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. Huff is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last three games she's played dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Columbus got the win against Sumter County on Thursday by a conclusive 13-1. The Blue Devils might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by seven runs or more this season.
Emmie Jones made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Jones was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Columbus let Bethany Smith and Claire Beeler loose on the outfield. Smith scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Beeler went 1-for-2 with three RBI, a triple, and a run. The last time Smith's OBP was this high was back in September of 2023. The team also got some help courtesy of Jayla Lockhart, who went 1-for-2 with a triple, a run, and an RBI.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Columbus hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most four strikeouts in 14 consecutive matchups.
Hardaway's defeat ended a six-game streak of away wins and brought them to 8-6. As for Columbus, they pushed their record up to 12-4 with that win, which was their seventh straight at home.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Hardaway hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of 0. However, it's not like Columbus struggles in that department as they've averaged 0. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hardaway suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Columbus in their previous meeting back in August. Can Hardaway avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
