The South Pike Eagles will take on the Forest Hill Patriots at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. South Pike's hitters haven't had much luck over their past four games, but Tuesday's contest will give them a chance to turn things around.
South Pike came up short against Natchez on Monday, falling 17-2.
Michael Weatherspoon was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.
Meanwhile, Forest Hill had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They were the clear victor by a 15-3 margin over Provine on Tuesday. The Patriots' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Khadarius Johnson made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 5.2 strikeouts per game. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-3. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in February of 2024.
In other batting news, Charles Barry Jr. and Stavius Gray Jr. did most of the damage at the plate: Barry Jr. scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Gray Jr. scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Those runs marked the first that Barry Jr. scored this season. Another player making a difference was Matthew Griffin, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with two RBI.
Forest Hill always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .588. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Forest Hill's victory bumped their record up to 2-4. As for South Pike, their loss dropped their record down to 1-4.
Forest Hill's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: South Pike hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. It's a different story for Forest Hill, though, as they've only averaged .162. Will they be able to contain South Pike's hitters?
South Pike beat Forest Hill 12-7 when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Will South Pike repeat their success, or does Forest Hill have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
