Walnut Ridge is a perfect 8-0 against Sloan-Hendrix since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Walnut Ridge Bobcats will take on the Sloan-Hendrix Greyhounds at 4:30 p.m. Walnut Ridge's pitching crew has only allowed 2.3 runs per game this season, so Sloan-Hendrix's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Walnut Ridge and Manila, and Walnut Ridge kept the tradition alive. Walnut Ridge came out on top against Manila by a score of 5-0 on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Bobcats in their matchups with the Lions: they've now won seven in a row.
TJ OWENS
| 03/11/25 vs Manila | 2 |
| 03/10/25 @ Batesville | 1 |
| 03/06/25 @ Newport | 2 |
TJ OWENS made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
OWENS wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was JACE DULANEY, who scored a run while going 1-for-2. TREVOR AUGUSTINE was another, scoring a run while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
While Sloan-Hendrix didn't have the best season last year (they finished 12-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Cave City on Tuesday, sneaking past 8-7. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Greyhounds.
Like Walnut Ridge, Sloan-Hendrix also got a great game from a two-way player: Wilson Dean. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, Dean posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Taylor Murphy was excellent, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-4. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Malachi Johnson, who scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 1-for-3.
Walnut Ridge pushed their record up to 4-2 with the victory, which was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Sloan-Hendrix, their record now sits at 4-1.
Everything went Walnut Ridge's way against Sloan-Hendrix in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Walnut Ridge made off with a 10-0 win. Does Walnut Ridge have another victory up their sleeve, or will Sloan-Hendrix turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
