The Fuquay - Varina Bengals will face off against the Garner Trojans at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Fuquay - Varina is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victor by a 20-1 margin over Southeast Raleigh on Tuesday. The win continues a trend for the Bengals in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won seven in a row.
Jaycie Old was a standout: she went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Julie Selig, who scored two runs while going 2-for-2.
Fuquay - Varina always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .767. The last time their OBP was this high was back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Garner, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Cardinal Gibbons with a sharp 15-4 victory on Wednesday.
Mayken Lynette spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Gaby Mizelle, who fired off two home runs, five runs, and three RBI while going 5-for-5. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in hits. Avery Smades was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Fuquay - Varina's win bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Garner, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Fuquay - Varina has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .508. However, it's not like Garner struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fuquay - Varina might still be hurting after the 10-2 loss they got from Garner when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can Fuquay - Varina avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
