The Southeast Whitfield County Raiders will head out to challenge the Hiram Hornets at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
Woodland hit Southeast Whitfield County with a seven-run fourth inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Raiders fell 14-9 to the Wildcats.
Southeast Whitfield County got a good showing from Summer Maddron, who didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Maddron has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Lydia Kidd stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Michaela Pendley also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Hiram was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They lost 16-8 to Woodland. That's two games in a row now that the Hornets have lost by exactly eight runs.
Lily Martinez made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Marlee Greathouse, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
Southeast Whitfield County's defeat dropped their record down to 8-18. As for Hiram, their loss dropped their record down to 5-19.
Southeast Whitfield County's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Raiders have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Hiram, though, as they've been averaging only 0.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Southeast Whitfield County continue to outrun the ball?
Southeast Whitfield County skirted past Hiram 6-5 in their previous matchup back in September. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Raiders since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
