The Hobbton Wildcats are taking a road trip to challenge the Clinton Dark Horses at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Thursday, Hobbton made easy work of Lakewood and carried off a 14-4 victory. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Leopards: they've now won six in a row.
Caden Martin made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Hobbton let Thomas Tart and Zack Aman run wild. Tart went 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles, while Aman scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-5. What's more, Aman posted three RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Braxton McLamb was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Hobbton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Clinton got the win against Red Springs on Thursday by a conclusive 11-5. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Dark Horses.
Brennon Bell was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Zyhan Wallace, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Clinton pushed their record up to 10-4 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Hobbton, their record now sits at 11-5.
Hobbton suffered a grim 12-4 defeat to Clinton in their previous matchup back in March of 2022. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
