The Union Pines Vikings will head out on the road to challenge the Hoke County Bucks at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Union Pines will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Richmond on Tuesday. The Vikings were the clear victors by a 13-3 margin over the Raiders. The win continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Raiders: they've now won four in a row.
Allie Bauer was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Serena McCutchen was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of her five plate appearances. Kensley Moffet also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Union Pines was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .433. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Hoke County came tearing into Tuesday's game with three straight wins , and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Cavaliers an 8-0 shutout. The game was the first time the Bucks have beaten the Cavaliers on their field since March 18, 2022.
The result came thanks to Niya Jones's shutout, as she gave up just five hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Hoke County got a big performance out of Kalea Parker, who went 3-for-4 with one triple and two RBI. That's the most RBI Parker has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Shaniya Mclean, who scored three runs and stole three bases.
Union Pines' record is now 10-7. As for Hoke County, their record now sits at 14-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Union Pines has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hoke County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Union Pines came out on top in a nail-biter against Hoke County when the teams last played back in March, sneaking past 1-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
