The Wayne County War Eagles will venture away from home to square off against the Stringer Red Devils at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Wayne County has given up an average of 9.6 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Wayne County managed to slip by Enterprise the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. Wayne County lost 15-4 to Enterprise on Thursday.
Karson Tate made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Harlee Reeves, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and two RBI.
Mize typically has all the answers at home, but on Thursday Stringer proved too difficult a challenge. Everything went their way against the Bulldogs as they made off with a 14-5 victory. The Red Devils not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since May 9, 2024.
Madilyn Graham made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up five earned runs off eight hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and one double. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in RBI.
In other batting news, Jaycee Holifield was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. Rylei Pickerell was another key player, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-4.
Stringer hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Mize struck out nine times.
Stringer is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-2 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. Wayne County's defeat dropped their record down to 3-7.
Stringer's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Wayne County hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .382. It's a different story for Stringer, though, as they've only averaged .243. Will they be able to contain Wayne County's hitters?
Wayne County suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Stringer in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Can Wayne County avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
