The Woodlawn Bears are taking a road trip to square off against the Poyen Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Woodlawn's pitching crew has only allowed three runs per game this season, so Poyen's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Woodlawn and Smackover meet (two straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. The Bears blew past the Buckaroos 16-4. Considering the Bears have won 17 contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Tate Hall
| 04/15/25 @ Smackover | 6 |
| 03/31/25 @ Hampton | 4 |
| 03/27/25 vs Star City | 4 |
| 03/21/25 vs Junction City | 4 |
| 03/20/25 vs Magnet Cove | 4 |
Tate Hall was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and three runs. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Mason Edmonds also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Woodlawn was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous four contests, Poyen brought some dynamite into their most recent matchup. They came out on top against Fordyce by a score of 12-9 on Tuesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Indians as it spelled an end to their five-game losing streak.
The team relied heavily on Colt Barrett, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Karter Felty, who scored three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Woodlawn is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 22-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.1 runs over those games. As for Poyen, their record is now 5-8.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Woodlawn has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .538. However, it's not like Poyen struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Woodlawn's way against Poyen in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, as Woodlawn made off with an 11-1 victory. Will the Bears repeat their success, or do the Indians have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
