Ashley and Hoggard are an even 5-5 against one another since March of 2019, but likely not for long. Ashley will be playing in front of their home fans against Hoggard at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Ashley will come into the match with an undefeated record on the line.
Ashley barely beat Broughton the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Ashley's pitchers stepped up to hand Broughton a 10-0 shutout on Saturday. Considering the Screaming Eagle have won four contests by more than six runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Cane Mehling and Will Hartzell were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, Mehling pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Hartzell didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in May of 2024. At bat, Mehling went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Hartzell scored a run while going 1-for-2. What's more, Hartzell posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024.
Cole Barnes
| 03/22/25 @ Broughton | 3 |
| 03/15/25 vs West Stokes | 2 |
| 03/04/25 @ Swansboro | 2 |
| 03/27/24 vs Topsail | 2 |
| 03/19/24 vs Hoggard | 2 |
They weren't the only ones making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Cole Barnes, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in RBI (three). Drew Potter was another, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Ashley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Broughton only posted an OBP of .346.
Meanwhile, Hoggard didn't have quite enough to beat Laney on Friday and fell 6-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Vikings have suffered against the Buccaneers since June 4, 2021.
Preston Smith put in work no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Ashley's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-0. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Hoggard, their loss ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 5-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Ashley has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hoggard struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Ashley came out on top in a nail-biter against Hoggard when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 3-1. Does Ashley have another victory up their sleeve, or will Hoggard turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
