Falcons
| 04/08/25 vs J.H. Rose | 6 |
| 04/04/25 @ D.H. Conley | 3 |
| 04/02/25 @ Perquimans | 4 |
| 03/27/25 vs Northside - Jacksonville | 15 |
| 03/26/25 vs Washington | 3 |
| + 8 more games |
South Central is 8-2 against New Bern since March of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Falcons are taking a road trip to square off against the Bears at 6:00 p.m. South Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.
South Central took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They walked away with a 6-2 victory over J.H. Rose.
South Central's win was truly a team effort as six different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Ava Coward, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Kailey Garner was another, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, New Bern came tearing into Tuesday's game with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Monarchs a 15-0 shutout. The Bears might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by six runs or more this season.
Anna Champey made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Champey was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, one triple, and two RBI.
In other batting news, New Bern let Ellie Poston and Lainey Aldridge run wild. Poston scored a run and stole a base, while Aldridge scored two runs and stole two bases. Those two stolen bases gave Aldridge a new career-high. Avery Daley also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
New Bern always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Northside - Jacksonville only posted an OBP of .000.
New Bern's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-2. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for South Central, their record is now 8-5.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. South Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like New Bern struggles in that department as they've averaged .321. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
South Central was able to grind out a solid victory over New Bern when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 8-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
