The Clayton Comets will face off against the Garner Trojans at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Clayton is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
Clayton proved they can win big on Thursday (they won by seven) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over Fuquay-Varina.
Izzy Tart
| 03/20/26 vs Fuquay-Varina | 12 |
| 03/19/26 vs East Wake | 9 |
| 03/13/26 @ Heritage | 9 |
| 03/09/26 @ D.H. Conley | 10 |
Izzy Tart was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sariah Brown, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Garner). They put the hurt on Southeast Raleigh with a sharp 22-11 victory on Monday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Trojans needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.
Alyvia Banks was incredible, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Sam Hawkins, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs.
Garner always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .744. The last time their OBP was this high was back in March of 2025.
Garner's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-5. As for Clayton, their victory bumped their record up to 8-1.
Garner's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Clayton has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.1 hits per game. It's a different story for Garner, though, as they've been averaging 9 hits. Given Clayton's sizable advantage in that area, the Trojans will need to find a way to close that gap.
Clayton skirted past Garner 6-5 in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Will the Comets repeat their success, or do the Trojans have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
