The Northview Chiefs will challenge the Holmes County Blue Devils at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Northview is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over Jay. Winning may never get old, but the Chiefs sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.
Mikayla McAnally spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up 17 Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Bailey Burkette, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Kylee Langham, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Northview was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .394. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, while Holmes County put up some runs on Thursday, the same can't be said for Chipley. The Blue Devils put the hurt on the Tigers with a sharp 10-0 win. The victory was nothing new for the Blue Devils as they're now sitting on three straight.
Bri Adams made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Kiersten Womble was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Kendall Pugh, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Northview's win bumped their record up to 19-6. As for Holmes County, their victory bumped their record up to 18-8.
Northview's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's match. The Chiefs have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Holmes County, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Northview continue to outrun the ball?
Northview couldn't quite get it done against Holmes County in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 7-2. Will the Chiefs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
