The Haughton Buccaneers will face off against the Simsboro Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Haughton took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Huntington a 21-0 shutout. The high-scoring effort was just what the Buccaneers needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
The team relied heavily on Presley Yerby, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Reese Mayfield, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Haughton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .897. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Simsboro got the win against Gibsland-Coleman on Tuesday by a conclusive 18-1. The win continues a trend for the Tigers in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won three in a row.
Carlei Wheeler made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run but no hits (and only one walk). That's the fewest hits she has allowed since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Ciara Caldwell was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. Kailee Hamilton was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.
Simsboro's victory bumped their record up to 13-6. As for Haughton, the win snapped their losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 10-12 record.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Haughton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .361. However, it's not like Simsboro struggles in that department as they've averaged .359. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
