Western Harnett hasn't had much luck against Triton recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Eagles will host the Hawks at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Triton will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Western Harnett extended their winning streak to three on Thursday. The Eagles put the hurt on E.E. Smith with a sharp 18-1 victory.
Bryson Pope
| 04/10/25 @ E.E. Smith | 6 |
| 03/14/25 vs Pine Forest | 5 |
| 04/23/24 @ E.E. Smith | 5 |
| 03/15/24 @ Pine Forest | 5 |
| 04/01/24 @ Scotland | 4 |
Braylen Wright and Bryson Pope made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Wright tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Pope struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high. At bat, Wright went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Pope scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Pope is becoming a predictor of Western Harnett's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 2-12 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, Lawton Hickman was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. He has become a key player for Western Harnett: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-12 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Dariel Pagan, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Western Harnett always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .650. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Harnett Central typically has all the answers at home, but on Thursday Triton proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top against the Trojans by a score of 12-7. The game was the first time the Hawks have beaten the Trojans on their field since April 27, 2023.
Brayden Bates made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chase Sewell, who scored three runs while going 3-for-4. Alan Hinson was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
The win made it two in a row for Triton and bumps their season record up to 10-8. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 8 runs in those games. As for Western Harnett, their win bumped their record up to 5-12.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Western Harnett has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Triton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Western Harnett couldn't quite get it done against Triton in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 as they fell 5-2. Will the Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
