Hamilton County extended their losing streak to three on Friday, dropping their season record down to 5-10 in the process. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-7 heartbreaker at the hands of the Zeigler-Royalton Tornadoes. If the Foxes were looking for revenge after losing 11-2 to the Tornadoes when the teams met back in May of 2023, then they'll just have to keep looking.
As for Zeigler-Royalton, they are on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 13 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-2 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games.
For Zeigler-Royalton's part, Chase Cole was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Cole has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, earning two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Zeigler-Royalton let Connor DeWeerdt and Kylar Reese-Phillips run wild. DeWeerdt went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI, while Reese-Phillips went 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI. That's the most RBI DeWeerdt has posted over his last 11 matches. Another player making a difference was Bradden Mays, who went 1-for-4 with two runs and one double.
Looking ahead, Hamilton County will face off against Johnston City at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The Indians will roll in looking for their seventh straight win, something the Foxes surely won't give up without a fight. As for Zeigler-Royalton, they will challenge Wayne City at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
