The Asheville T Trailblazers will face off against the Hickory Christian Academy Knights at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Asheville T has given up an average of 8.9 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Last Monday, Asheville T came up short against Anderson C and fell 11-7. The Trailblazers have struggled against the Cavaliers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost meeting.
Sterling Haynes was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. He tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single earned run, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in March. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Gage Flowers
| 04/10/25 @ Bethel Christian Academy | 3 |
| 03/27/25 vs Bethel Christian Academy | 3 |
| 03/25/25 @ Asheville School (Independent) | 3 |
| 04/14/25 @ Anderson C | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Asheville School (Independent) | 2 |
| + 12 more games |
In other batting news, Abrey Hernandez and Gage Flowers did some serious damage despite the final result: Hernandez scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Flowers went 1-for-4 with two runs and one triple. Flowers has become a key player for Asheville T: the team is 8-4 when he posts at least two runs, but 0-6 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Stephen Covington, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Hickory Christian Academy waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 9-8 W against Varsity Opponent. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Knights have posted since May 7, 2024.
Like Asheville T, Hickory Christian Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Samuel Yount. On the mound, he pitched 4.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off eight hits. Yount has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Yount wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Will Friar, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Hickory Christian Academy pushed their record up to 10-2 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Asheville T, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-10.
Asheville T couldn't quite get it done against Hickory Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in March as they fell 14-11. Can the Trailblazers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
