South Iredell is 0-9 against Hickory Ridge since March of 2021 but things could change on Tuesday. The South Iredell Vikings will host the Hickory Ridge Ragin' Bulls at 6:30 p.m. South Iredell will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
On Friday, South Iredell got the win against West Iredell by a conclusive 16-1. Fans of the Vikings have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Mallory Messick made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Messick was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted two hits, the most she's had since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Carsyn Benfield, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Addison Trego was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
South Iredell always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .692. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Iredell only posted an OBP of .500.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Hickory Ridge ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Ardrey Kell, sneaking past 5-4. The win continues a trend for the Ragin' Bulls in their matchups with the Knights: they've now won four in a row.
Katherine Rhyne was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
South Iredell's victory bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Hickory Ridge, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
South Iredell's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's match. South Iredell has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Hickory Ridge, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will South Iredell continue to outrun the ball?
South Iredell came up short against Hickory Ridge when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 7-3. Can South Iredell avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
