Cottondale and Chipley are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2021, but likely not for long. The Hornets will host the Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Cottondale is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
Cottondale had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Holmes County on Thursday. The Hornets were the clear victors by a 10-2 margin over the Blue Devils. The game was the first time the Hornets have beaten the Blue Devils on their field since April 25, 2023.
Lane Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up ten Ks. He has become a key player for Cottondale: the team is 4-2 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 4-9 otherwise.
Trace Pelfrey
| 04/02/26 @ Holmes County | 4 |
| 03/27/26 @ Lee-Scott Academy | 3 |
| 03/23/26 vs Vernon | 3 |
| 02/28/25 vs Destin | 3 |
| 02/20/25 vs Munroe | 3 |
On the hitting side, Trace Pelfrey was incredible, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Tyler Jones was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Cottondale kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 5-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Chipley had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Sharks a 1-0 shutout. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Tigers have posted since March 3rd.
Not much got past Brantley Kirkland, who gave up just two hits and racked up eight Ks to keep Destin off the board. Kirkland has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
Cottondale's win bumped their record up to 8-11. As for Chipley, their victory bumped their record up to 12-7.
Cottondale was able to grind out a solid win over Chipley in their previous matchup back in March, winning 6-1. Will the Hornets repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
