The Aiken Fighting Green Hornets will head out to take on the Brookland-Cayce Bearcats at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.
Last Friday, Aiken didn't have quite enough to beat Gray Collegiate Academy and fell 3-2.
Aiden Morris put in work no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits he has posted since back in February.
Morris wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Hunter Rarey, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Brookland-Cayce, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over North Augusta on Friday. Considering the Bearcats have won four matches by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Preston Coggins spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up 12 Ks. He has become a key player for Brookland-Cayce: the team is undefeated when he allows at most three earned runs, but 3-5 otherwise.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Austin Rhodus, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Bennett Plane was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Brookland-Cayce always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Brookland-Cayce's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-5. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Aiken, they have been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last seven games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-7 record this season.
Aiken couldn't quite finish off Brookland-Cayce in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 2-0. Can Aiken avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
