Vikings
| 05/14/26 @ Green | 5 |
| 05/13/26 @ Louisville | 6 |
| 05/12/26 @ Washington | 7 |
| 05/08/26 vs Wadsworth | 4 |
| 05/06/26 vs Green | 3 |
| + 17 more games |
The Hoover Vikings will face off against the Avon Eagles at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Hoover is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Hoover hadn't beaten Green on the road since May 16, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them on Thursday. The Vikings came out on top against the Bulldogs by a score of 5-2.
Jack Andes made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one hit in 14 consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
In other pitching news, Hoover got a great performance from Evan Fuller as he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits (and only one walk). Fuller has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Andes wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was JR Cook, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Avon won against Elyria on Tuesday with 13 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. Everything went the Eagles' way against Riverside as they made off with a 13-5 win. Winning may never get old, but the Eagles sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Avon got a massive performance out of Sam Griffiths, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Those two runs gave Griffiths a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Nick Lombardy, who went 3-for-5 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Avon kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 4.6 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 9.4.
Hoover's victory bumped their record up to 18-4. As for Avon, their win bumped their record up to 10-12.
Hoover's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's game. The Vikings have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Avon, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Hoover continue to outrun the ball?
Hoover skirted past Avon 8-6 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
