The Walnut Wildcats will head out to square off against the Pine Grove Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Walnut will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Walnut was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Thrasher on Friday. The Wildcats' pitcher stepped up to hand the Rebels a 13-0 shutout. The Wildcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by six runs or more this season.
Maddie Wilburn made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
Addison Hicks
| 04/11/25 vs Thrasher | 3 |
| 03/22/25 vs Pine Grove | 2 |
| 02/27/25 vs Pine Grove | 2 |
| 02/25/25 @ Tishomingo County | 2 |
| 03/28/25 @ Baldwyn | 1 |
In other batting news, Addison Hicks was a standout: she scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-1. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in RBI (three). Baylee Spight was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Walnut always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .630. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Thrasher only posted an OBP of .214.
Meanwhile, Pine Grove came up short against Myrtle on Monday, falling 17-1.
Pine Grove saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Memory Mauney, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Walnut's win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 9-12. As for Pine Grove, their defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 13-11.
Walnut's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's game. The Wildcats have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Pine Grove, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Walnut continue to outrun the ball?
Walnut took their victory against Pine Grove when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 7-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wildcats since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
