The Jasper Vikings will head out to take on the Hueytown Golden Gophers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Jasper barely beat Cullman the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Vikings' pitchers stepped up to hand the Bearcats a 6-0 shutout on Tuesday. Winning may never get old, but the Vikings sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.
Lexi Kilgore was a standout: she scored a run while going 2-for-4. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Emma Lou Franks, who scored three runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Hueytown entered their tilt with Bessemer City on Wednesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 16-0 win.
Gracelyn McCarrell made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on K Kennedy, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Hueytown was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Hueytown's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 20-13. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.0 runs over those games. As for Jasper, their record now sits at 18-8.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Jasper hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Hueytown struggles in that department as they've averaged .348. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jasper skirted past Hueytown 4-2 in their previous meeting back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
