Union Pines hasn't had much luck against Scotland recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Vikings will venture away from home to take on the Fighting Scots at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Union Pines sitting on seven straight wins and Scotland on 21.
Union Pines can't be too worried about heading out to take on Scotland: they just beat Hoke County at home, who had been dominant on their own field up to that point. The Vikings came out on top against the Bucks by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday.
Kileigh Cameron was incredible, firing off two home runs and five RBI while going 2-for-3. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Elizabeth Andrews, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Union Pines kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in nine consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, while Scotland put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Richmond. The Fighting Scots were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Raiders. Considering the Fighting Scots have won 15 games by more than eight runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Avery Stutts was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in 22 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Addison Johnson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Dawson Blue, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Union Pines' record is now 17-8. As for Scotland, they pushed their record up to 22-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Union Pines has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .483. However, it's not like Scotland struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Union Pines might still be hurting after the 9-0 defeat they got from Scotland in their previous meeting back in April. Can the Vikings avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
