Fort Payne hadn't done well against Southside recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Wildcats walked away with a 9-5 win over the Panthers. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 5-1 last Tuesday.
Brannon Oliver made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed 4.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4. That's the most runs he has posted since back in February.
Blake Griggs
| 04/03/25 @ Southside | 2 |
| 02/22/25 vs Douglas | 2 |
| 02/17/25 vs Sylvania | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Southside | 1 |
| 03/13/25 vs Hazel Green | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
Oliver wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Blake Griggs, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4. Griggs has become a key player for Fort Payne: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 7-10 otherwise. Another was Ryker Shankles, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
The victory got Fort Payne back to even at 10-10. As for Southside, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 19-7.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Fort Payne will venture away from home to face off against Gadsden City at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Southside, they will face off against Springville at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
