Haywood is 2-8 against Bolivar Central since March of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Tomcats will head out to challenge the Tigers at 6:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
15 must be Haywood's lucky number: they beat Fayette Ware with that score not once but twice on Thursday. The Tomcats didn't even let the Wildcats on the board, marking the Tomcats' second-straight 15-0 shutout. The win was familiar territory for the Tomcats, who have now won five matchups in a row.
Kaitlyn Smoot was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Alexis Moore, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI.
Haywood always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .792. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .545 or higher in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Bolivar Central duked it out with Fayette Ware on Tuesday. The Tigers were the clear victors by a 26-1 margin over the Wildcats. The Tigers have beaten the Wildcats the last nine times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Wildcats has come to flipping the script.
Bolivar Central got a massive performance out of Aubrey Wells, who went 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Isabella Lax was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, four runs, and two doubles.
Haywood's record now sits at 8-3. As for Bolivar Central, their record is now 7-2.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Haywood hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .496. However, it's not like Bolivar Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .481. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Haywood took their victory against Bolivar Central when the teams last played last Monday by a conclusive 9-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tomcats since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
