The River Oaks Mustangs will challenge the Tallulah Academy Trojans at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The timing is sure in River Oaks' favor as the squad sits on three straight wins at home while Tallulah Academy has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
River Oaks will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Monday, then bounced right back against Union Christian Academy on Tuesday. The Mustangs were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Lions. The result was nothing new for the Mustangs, who have now won 11 matches by eight runs or more so far this season.
Trey Hemphill and Cayden Vanderberg did most of the damage at the plate: Hemphill scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Vanderberg scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits Hemphill has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Kenton Mercer, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
They weren't the only one making solid contact: River Oaks kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Tallulah Academy posted their closest win since February 13, 2024 on Friday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Wilkinson County Christian Academy 5-4. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last three times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Tripp Gayle was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. That home run was his first of the season.
River Oaks has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-7 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Tallulah Academy, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. River Oaks has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Tallulah Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
River Oaks suffered a grim 9-2 defeat to Tallulah Academy in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Will the Mustangs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
