The Holmes Aces will face off against the First Flight Nighthawks at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Holmes sitting on eight straight wins and First Flight on four.
Last Friday, Holmes narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Currituck County 11-10. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Aces have posted against the Knights since April 5, 2022.
Darius Oliver
| 04/04/25 vs Currituck County | 4 |
| 03/07/25 vs Bear Grass Charter | 2 |
| 03/06/25 @ North Pitt | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Currituck County | 1 |
| 03/27/25 @ Pasquotank County | 1 |
The team relied heavily on Darius Oliver, who scored two runs while going 4-for-5. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Ashton Stallings, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, First Flight got the win against Hertford County on Friday by a conclusive 21-6. Considering the Nighthawks have won seven contests by more than eight runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Aaron Stewart was a standout: he scored five runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Dillon Francis was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one double.
First Flight kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Holmes pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for First Flight, their record is now 8-5.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Holmes has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .470. However, it's not like First Flight struggles in that department as they've averaged .486. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Holmes couldn't quite finish off First Flight in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 4-2. Can the Aces avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
