Wayne hasn't had much luck against Lincoln County recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Pioneers will host the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Wayne lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Poca, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Monday's game. The Pioneers blew past the Dots 9-1 on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Pioneers have posted against the Dots since April 25, 2019.
Kaliah Merritt
| 04/14/25 vs Poca | 9 |
| 04/11/25 @ Fleming County | 8 |
| 04/08/25 @ Winfield | 6 |
| 04/02/25 vs Point Pleasant | 5 |
| 04/01/25 @ Ripley | 9 |
Kaliah Merritt made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alexa Bishop, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Lexi Napier was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Lincoln County faced Scott in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Monday. The Panthers never let the Skyhawks get on the board and left with a 1-0 victory. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Skyhawks recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
The result came thanks to Arien Cooper's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, Lincoln County saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Laney Nelson, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Lincoln County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Lincoln County pushed their record up to 10-5 with the victory, which was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Wayne, their victory ended a five-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 5-7.
Wayne might still be hurting after the 9-2 defeat they got from Lincoln County in their previous meeting back in March. Will the Pioneers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
