Bethlehem had won three straight on the road, but on Friday they bumped up to 10-5 to make it four. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Poplar Springs Atomics, sneaking past 8-6. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 17-7 back in March.
Justin Miller
| 03/09/26 vs Poplar Springs | 6 |
| 02/26/26 @ Emmanuel Christian | 4 |
| 03/10/26 @ Gadsden County | 3 |
| 04/10/26 @ Poplar Springs | 2 |
| 04/09/26 @ Graceville | 2 |
| + 7 more games |
Justin Miller and Kason Paul made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Miller struck out seven batters over 4.2 innings while giving up four earned runs off only two hits. Meanwhile, Paul struck out six batters over 2.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit in four consecutive appearances. At bat, Miller went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run, while Paul went 1-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Miller has become a key player for Bethlehem: the team is 7-1 when he posts at least two stolen bases, but 3-4 otherwise.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Daiden Hardy, who went 1-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
As for Poplar Springs, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat they have suffered against Bethlehem since April 25, 2022.
On Poplar Springs' side, Carson Taylor made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Eloitt Wyatt also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Bethlehem and Poplar Springs are set to take part in some playoff action in their next matches. The Wildcats will challenge Ponce De Leon at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Bethlehem's pitchers better be ready for this one: the Pirates have averaged an impressive 6.3 runs per game this season. As for Poplar Springs, they will face off against Graceville at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Atomics are facing the Tigers at the right time seeing as the Tigers are stuck on a 13-game losing streak.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
