The Ripley Tigers will venture away from home to face off against the Walnut Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Ripley will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Senatobia on Thursday. The Tigers were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Warriors. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won five matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Brinson Gay spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Emma Edwards, who fired off three doubles, four RBI, and two runs while going 4-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Ahnizya Wallace, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Ripley hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Senatobia struck out ten times.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Walnut and New Site meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Thursday. The Wildcats had just enough and edged out the Royals 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Wildcats have posted since March 13, 2025.
Walnut also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Aubree Carter gave up only one earned (and one unearned) run on three hits and racked up nine Ks. Those nine strikeouts set a new season-high mark for Carter.
At the plate, Maddie Wilburn was excellent, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one double and one RBI. That double marked the first that she has hit this season. Baylee Spight was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run.
Walnut's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 2-6. As for Ripley, the win snapped their losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 6-10 record.
Walnut's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Ripley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. It's a different story for Walnut, though, as they've only averaged .186. Will they be able to contain Ripley's hitters?
Ripley got the 'W' when the teams last played back in March of 2025 against Walnut by a conclusive 8-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
