Hermleigh is 8-2 against Ira since March of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Cardinals will challenge the Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. Hermleigh is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 17 games.
Hermleigh's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Hawley with a sharp 10-0 win. Considering the Cardinals have won 14 games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Peyton Miller
| 04/22/25 vs Hawley | 6 |
| 04/15/25 @ Roby | 8 |
| 04/11/25 @ Crosbyton | 8 |
| 04/04/25 vs Roby | 12 |
| 04/01/25 @ Non Varsity Opponent | 5 |
| + 3 more games |
Peyton Miller was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs.
In other batting news, Dejah Richardson was excellent, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one stolen base and one run. Another player making a difference was Kolbie Campbell, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and one run.
Hermleigh always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .515. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hawley only posted an OBP of .238.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Ira and Westbrook meet (two straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. The Bulldogs fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 9-8.
Edith Cabrera stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. The team also got some help courtesy of Kelcee Kemp, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Hermleigh pushed their record up to 17-1 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Ira, their loss dropped their record down to 10-6.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hermleigh hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .397. However, it's not like Ira struggles in that department as they've averaged .386. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Hermleigh's way against Ira in their previous meeting back in April of 2022, as Hermleigh made off with a 12-0 victory. Do the Cardinals have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
