The Bandys Trojans will venture away from home to face off against the Lake Norman Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row dating back to last season, Bandys turned things around against West Lincoln on Tuesday. They came out on top against the Rebels by a score of 8-5. The Trojans' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Piper Barrymore
| 03/04/25 @ West Lincoln | 2 |
| 02/28/25 vs North Lincoln | 2 |
| 02/24/25 @ Mooresville | 0 |
Piper Barrymore made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed seven innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two).
In other batting news, Avery Alexander was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was Paige Barrymore, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Lake Norman entered their tilt with West Cabarrus on Tuesday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. They blew past the Wolverines 14-0. That looming 14-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Wildcats yet this season.
Like Bandys, Lake Norman also got a great game from a two-way player: Vivian Billard. She struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Billard was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, Lake Norman let Kyera Combs and Avery Evans run wild. Combs went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double, while Evans scored three runs and stole Three bases. while going 2-for-3. Those stolen bases marked the first that Evans snagged this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaylee Harris, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Lake Norman kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Cabarrus didn't got any hits.
Lake Norman's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Bandys, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
Bandys came out on top in a nail-biter against Lake Norman when the teams last played back in March of 2024, sneaking past 6-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for Bandys since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
