The Vancleave Bulldogs will challenge the Northwest Rankin Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Vancleave is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Vancleave had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the eight-run drubbing they dealt Starkville on Monday. Everything went Vancleave's way against Starkville as Vancleave made off with a 16-8 victory. The Bulldogs' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Hunter Harper made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and six unearned) runs off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Aidan Tapp
| 03/10/25 vs Starkville | 4 |
| 03/03/25 vs Pascagoula | 3 |
| 03/21/24 @ East Central | 3 |
| 02/21/25 @ St. Martin | 2 |
| 05/10/24 @ South Jones | 2 |
In other batting news, Vancleave got a massive performance out of Aidan Tapp, who scored three runs while going 4-for-4. Those four hits gave Tapp a new career-high. Martin Shaw was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-5.
Vancleave was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .441. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Northwest Rankin entered their tilt with West Monroe on Saturday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. They walked away with a 6-2 win over the Rebels.
Gabe Hodges looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single hit and allowed only one earned run over four innings pitched. What's more, he gave up only zero hits, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024.
At the plate, Russ Ingram and Brady Saxton did most of the damage at the plate: Ingram went 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI, while Saxton scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Saxton has become a key player for Northwest Rankin: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-7 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Eli Ladner, who scored a run and stole Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Vancleave is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. Northwest Rankin's victory bumped their record up to 5-7.
