The R.J. Reynolds Demons will head out to challenge the North Stokes Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
R.J. Reynolds will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Friday, then bounced right back against Parkland on Tuesday. The Demons never let the Mustangs get on the board and left with a 10-0 win. Considering the Demons' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Kevin Baker
| 04/01/25 @ Parkland | 7 |
| 03/28/25 @ Glenn | 5 |
| 02/25/25 @ Bethany Community | 5 |
| 03/19/24 @ Glenn | 5 |
| 03/27/25 @ North Mecklenburg | 3 |
Joakim Rose and Kevin Baker were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, Rose struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Baker struck out seven batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high. At the plate, Rose scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4, while Baker scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Rose is becoming a predictor of R.J. Reynolds' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 3-7 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gavin Searcy, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March of 2024. Ethan Sheridan was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
R.J. Reynolds kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for North Stokes, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over Mount Airy on Tuesday.
Elijah Whicker spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up seven Ks.
North Stokes' record now sits at 11-5. As for R.J. Reynolds, their win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. R.J. Reynolds has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Stokes struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
