The Powell Panthers are taking a road trip to challenge the Hardin Valley Academy Hawks at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The last five games Powell has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Powell's win against Oak Ridge wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Panthers never let the Wildcats get on the board and left with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by just one run.
Not much got past Langston Coggins, who gave up just six hits to keep Oak Ridge off the board.
At the plate, Powell saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jaylan Heatherly, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run. That's the most hits Heatherly has posted over her last eight games.
Powell was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .320 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Hardin Valley Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 2-1 heartbreaker at the hands of Powell. That's two games in a row now that the Hawks have lost by just one run.
Powell pushed their record up to 16-7 with the win, which was their seventh straight on the road. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 4.29 runs across that stretch. As for Hardin Valley Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-20.
Powell's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Hardin Valley Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Powell continue to outrun the ball?
Powell skirted past Hardin Valley Academy 2-1 in their previous matchup on Tuesday. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
