The Lumberton Pirates will head out to challenge the Jack Britt Buccaneers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Last Tuesday, Lumberton was able to grind out a solid victory over Cape Fear, taking the game 10-7.
The team relied heavily on Rodney Jacobs, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double. Brody Stuck was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
While Jack Britt didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They blew past Douglas Byrd 32-0 on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Buccaneers in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won seven in a row.
TJ Palmer and Ryder Blackburn were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Palmer struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Meanwhile, Blackburn tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. At bat, Palmer scored two runs while going 1-for-1, while Blackburn went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Alex Jones was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four runs and four RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Braedon Kaye, who scored three runs while going 3-for-4.
Jack Britt always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .674. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Lumberton's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for Jack Britt, their record is now 4-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lumberton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Jack Britt struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Lumberton's way against Jack Britt when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as Lumberton made off with a 12-6 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Lumberton since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
