For the first time this season, Perry Central will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup on Friday. They will welcome the West Marion Trojans at 6:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Perry Central is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Heidelberg 24-10 on Thursday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Bulldogs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Kenlynn Hinton made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Hinton was even better at the plate, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in doubles (two).
Peyton Merrill
| 03/06/25 @ Heidelberg | 4 |
| 02/18/25 vs Laurel | 3 |
| 02/22/25 vs Southeast Lauderdale | 2 |
| 02/23/24 @ Hattiesburg | 2 |
| 04/12/24 vs Our Lady Academy | 1 |
In other batting news, Peyton Merrill was a standout: she scored four runs and stole Three bases. while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. Kaitlyn Ruffin was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Perry Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .895. Their OBP was a full 0 higher than the also-impressive .600 that Heidelberg posted.
Meanwhile, West Marion put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They were the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over Oak Grove. The Trojans might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by six runs or more this season.
Izzy Pittman spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on six hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, West Marion let Aliyah Graham and Gracie Odom run wild. Graham went 4-for-5 with one home run and two RBI, while Odom scored a run while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was McKenzie 'Bug' Stringer, who scored a run while going 4-for-4.
West Marion's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Perry Central, their victory bumped their record up to 2-4-1.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Perry Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .628. However, it's not like West Marion struggles in that department as they've averaged .550. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Perry Central suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to West Marion in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will Perry Central have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
