Apex had lost three straight at home, but on Thursday they dropped down to 4-9 to make it four. They lost 7-1 to the Holly Springs Golden Hawks. The Cougars were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Golden Hawks apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in April of 2025.
Apex got a good showing from SIMON BRUTISKY, who pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, BRUTISKY gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in March of 2025.
At the plate, Apex saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was AUSTIN TACK, who went 1-for-2 with one run and one double.
As for Holly Springs, the win was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 10-4. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games.
On Holly Springs' side, Noah Rhoades made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. That's the most strikeouts Rhoades has posted since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that he has launched this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Connor Hourihan, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March. Hodge Williams was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one run and one double.
Looking ahead, Apex will be playing in front of their home fans against Green Level at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The Cougars' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Gators have averaged an impressive 8.1 runs per game this season. As for Holly Springs, they will head out to take on Millbrook at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Golden Hawks' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Wildcats have averaged an impressive 6.6 runs per game this season.
