The Hardin Hornets are taking a road trip to take on the Kirbyville Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The last three games Hardin has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Hardin gave up the first runs on Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They had just enough and edged out Kountze 5-3. The victory was some much needed relief for the Hornets as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Hardin saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kolten Bishop, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI. Another was Jayden DeJong, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Kirbyville hadn't done well against Buna recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Kirbyville came out on top in a nail-biter against Buna, sneaking past 5-3.
Kirbyville let Kaden Cloud and Braxton Jacks run wild. Cloud went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one double, while Jacks scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. That double was Cloud's first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Max Myers, who scored two runs while going 1-for-2.
Kirbyville's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-3. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Hardin, their victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 9-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hardin has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Kirbyville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hardin came up short against Kirbyville in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, falling 7-3. Can Hardin avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
