The McKenzie Rebels will venture away from home to take on the Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
McKenzie made up a huge gap compared to their last game against McEwen, but they still couldn't quite topple them. McKenzie put the hurt on McEwen with a sharp 10-3 victory last Friday. That's two games straight that the Rebels have won by exactly seven runs.
Aurora Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jaycee Stafford was incredible, scoring a run while going 3-for-5. Another player making a difference was Kailie Hudgins, who scored a run while going 4-for-4.
Stafford wasn't the only one working in the hit department: McKenzie kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as McEwen only managed six hits.
Meanwhile, Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.1 runs) and they went ahead and made it nine last Monday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Lions.
Madison Holder was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the fewest hits she has allowed over her last seven matches. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Holder wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Lilly McGee, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base. McKenzye Castleman also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
The win made it two in a row for McKenzie and bumps their season record up to 3-2. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 5 runs in those games. As for Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central, their win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-2.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. McKenzie hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .336. However, it's not like Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McKenzie might still be hurting after the 12-1 loss they got from Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can McKenzie avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
