Purnell Swett has gone 8-2 against Jack Britt recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Rams will venture away from home to challenge the Buccaneers at 7:00 p.m. Purnell Swett is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Purnell Swett's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Douglas Byrd as they made off with a 21-0 win. The victory continues a trend for the Rams in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won nine in a row.
Purnell Swett got a great performance from Hudson Locklear as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 14 over five innings pitched. Locklear has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances.
Chandon Sanderson
| 04/02/25 vs Douglas Byrd | 4 |
| 03/12/25 @ Douglas Byrd | 3 |
| 03/04/25 vs Gray's Creek | 3 |
| 03/26/25 @ Seventy-First | 2 |
| 03/28/25 @ Gray's Creek | 1 |
| + 6 more games |
On the hitting side, Chandon Sanderson was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. He is becoming a predictor of Purnell Swett's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 4-7 when he doesn't). Nolan Oxendine also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Purnell Swett always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .737. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Jack Britt hadn't done well against Lumberton recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Buccaneers put the hurt on the Pirates with a sharp 8-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Buccaneers, who have now won five contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Cameron Byers and Alex Jones were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, Byers pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Jones didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over 5.1 innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February. At the plate, Byers scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Jones went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ryder Blackburn, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Braedon Kaye was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Jack Britt's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 8-5. As for Purnell Swett, their record now sits at 7-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Purnell Swett has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Jack Britt struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Purnell Swett took their win against Jack Britt in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 10-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
