Diamond Preview

After last week’s exciting games on the pitch, Sampson County is looking for another round of high intensity action. Hobbton is set to face Rosewood, looking for a better result after 10-0 loss a couple of weeks prior. Midway seeks to hang on to that No. 1 spot, in both softball and baseball, with rival Dark Horses looking to spoil their clean records.

Clinton

Baseball (9-3)

The Dark Horses will face their inner county rivals, the Midway Raiders. An 18 mile jaunt on 242 back and forth this week as look to spoil their perfect record in the SAC-6.

Clinton had a huge jump-start to kick off their season, going 8-1, before running into league play. They fell to West Bladen and Red Springs to start off their conference games but came back to beat Bladen 6-2 in their second encounter and were on pace to beat Red Devils before the game was rained out at 3-0, with a make up time pending.

Midway was also affected by the weather and couldn’t play on Friday and are slated for the make up game on Monday. On paper these two team are close in skill, with neither holding a huge advantage over the other. Historically, the Raiders have been the better team on the diamond, but these Horses are different this year under Matthew DeLeone.

Softball (5-8)

Clinton has been trying to revitalize their softball team this season and so far, it has been uphill battle. This is not without their successes, however, going 3-2 in their first five. Those two losses were by one run to Wallace and West Brunswick (a controversial call at the end that cost them the tying run). Since that loss, the young team as only accumulated two wins taking down Mintz Christian and Red Springs.

This week, they will face a stout Lady Raider squad that has reigned supreme in the SAC-6. The Lady Horses will be facing their giant in the conference, leaning on their pitcher in the circle, Avilia Capps to contend with the consistent contact of Midway.

The Lady Horses will be looking to end Midway’s hold on the SAC-6 and spoil their perfect record in conference play.

Harrells

Baseball (5-6)

The Crusaders dropped two in a row last week, capping it off with a big loss to Greenfield, 11-1. Harrells will be looking to right the ship when they face three conference foes this week on the road.

Harrells has an uphill climb this week as they face the No. 1 and 2 teams in the NCISAA Carolina Independent, in the Rocky Mount Eagles (7-3) and the Kerr-Vance Trojans (7-2). In conference play, the Eagles have maintained an opposing force against league foes, toppling them in four contests for a combined scores of 29 to 11. The Trojans have been less intimidating and in three contests they’ve outscored their opponents by a smaller margin, 14 to 9.

Comparatively, the Crusaders are 1-2 in league play and have put up more runs at 21 but have given up 16 in the process, costing them precious wins. In their last meeting with the Eagles, they fell by only three runs in a tight 5-2 game. Harrells will be looking to shake up the Independent league by toppling the No. 1 and 2 teams and round out their week against Halifax Academy Vikings. In their last meeting with the Vikings, they sent them pack with a devastating 14-2 loss.

Softball (4-7)

The Lady Crusaders have struggled this season to repeat their success from the previous year. Last season, they had only lost three games, going 9-3 compared to now.

Harrells has struggled with errors and with a young team, inexperience has been a factor as the young ladies get used to their positions and roles on the diamond. Their week got derailed by the Carolina weather and they only had one game against Faith Christian. The Lady Crusaders proved themselves and the conference that had could compete.

The escaped with the win, after giving up eight runs in fourth after leading, 6-0 in the first three innings. Harrells dug deep in the seventh and scored two runs to tie it up. They held the Patriots in check for two inning after before Sabrina Batts knocked the ball deep into the outfield. Batts turned on the jets and scored on the in the park homer to snag the win, 9-8.

With the big win, the Lady Crusaders got a big confidence booster as they toppled the No. 2 team in the conference. This week they will have a big test after they face the Mintz Christian Lions as they take on the No.1 Rocky Mount Eagles (7-2) then the No. 3 Halifax Academy Vikings, as they look to climb the ladder of the Independent Conference.

Hobbton

Baseball (8-6)

Hobbton is trying to break through a difficult season they find themselves in. With a young crew, Jason Fussell has been working to build upon the success of last year, with some gains.

At 8-6, the Wildcats have the firepower behind them to do some serious damage to anyone they face, scoring 140 runs in 14 contests, averaging out to 10 a game. Hobbton is in a tough Carolina 1A conference, with Rosewood and North Duplin imposing their wills on whomever steps up to the plate. Hobbton, however, kept it close in the first encounter with the Rebels falling in a tight game 6-5 last week.

The Wildcats will be looking to avenge their previous loss to Rosewood, earlier in the season, dropping in a devastating loss, 10-0. Since that loss, they have gone 3-3, taking down Union, Lakewood and Wilson Christian in a Easter Invitational. Hobbton will have to tighten up on defense and turn up the heat at plate as they scheme to dethrone the Eagles.

Softball (1-11)

The Lady Wildcats have been a rut to say the least this season, going 0-9 before snagging their first taste of victory over the Lakewood Leopards. Previous to this contest, they had gone over double digits on the scoreboard just one and the remainder of the games, it was either shutouts or just a few runs. They took down the Leopards, 10-2.

Following that game that had a close one to Wallace-Rose Hill, falling 3-2 then getting railroaded by the No. 1 in the Carolina 1A, the North Duplin Rebels, 12-2. Next week, they will face the No. 2 Rosewood Eagles, who beat them down 13-0 then a rematch with Lakewood. On the hole, the Lady Wildcats have the potential to score big and will have to dig deep if they hope to snag a pair of wins and upset the Eagles.

Lakewood

Baseball (5-9)

Lakewood has had an up and down year, falling in close contests then turning hot at random. The inconsistency has been a thorn in their side all season as they try to find their footing.

With their season drawing to a close and tying with both Neuse Charter and Hobbton in the standings, they have the opportunity this week to disrupt the Wildcats ascent and climb over the Cougars. Their last encounter with Neuse Charter was put on hold due to the weather, they will have a long day when they play them again the following week.

For now, they have their sights set on the Wildcats who they fell to in a close game, 7-6 and the No. 2 North Duplin Rebels who beat them mercilessly in their last encounter, 13-1. The Leopards will be sharpening their claws over the weekend and ready to comeback with a vengeance.

Softball (1-12)

The Lady Leopards have been beat down this season, allowing 171 runs on them while only scoring 53 of their own.

Upcoming this week, they will have the North Duplin Rebels who beat them down in devastating fashion, 24-4 and Hobbton who dominated them as well 10-2. The Lady Wildcats are just out of reach for the Leopards in fourth place with one win conference play. Lakewood has little time to turn around the season, but can still disrupt the course of the remaining opponents they have left.

Midway

Baseball (11-4)

It has been smooth sailing for the Raiders on the diamond with few hiccups along the way. Like a well oiled machine, Midway has been firing efficiently on all cylinders, methodically putting down anyone who stands in their way.

The Raiders have a busy week ahead, coming off the weekend into a double header to play catch up in conference play after Friday’s rainy day, spoiling their evening game. Monday they will be facing West Bladen first then moving immediately on to play South Lenoir, going through the gauntlet before facing their county neighbors, the Clinton Dark Horses.

On paper, these two teams are fairly even, but Midway has proven time and again who are the kings on the diamond. The Dark Horses haven’t beaten the Raiders in six years, with their last win coming on Mar. 20 2018 and Midway isn’t looking to relinquish big brother status yet.

Softball (8-2)

It has been another strong season for the Lady Raiders on the diamond as they cruise along the SAC-6 and non-conference play, taking only two losses in ten games. Midway has been on a tear this season, scoring 81 runs while allowing only 30. Their sole losses came at the hands of the Hoggard Vikings in extra innings (3-1) and the South Lenoir Blue Devils (8-4).

This week they will be finishing their game against West Bladen where they were dominating 11-2 in the third on Monday then immediately following that game they will face the Blue Devils. After that busy Monday they will have little reprieve as they face off against the Lady Horses of Clinton, who haven’t had a win over the Raiders in quite some time.

The Lady Raiders are looking to remain the queens of Sampson County in the diamond and have no intentions of shutting it down.

Union

Baseball (0-9)

The Spartans have been beaten down all season long and have only eclipsed double digit runs only once this season that game however saw them give up 32 runs with it.

This week they will face the Rosewood Eagles and North Duplin, both of whom put up 20 on them in their last encounter. Union has only three games after this and are still on the hunt for their first win on the diamond in quite some time.

Softball (7-3)

This week the Lady Spartans have an uphill battle as they face the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Carolina 1A, hosting the Lady Rebels of North Duplin and the Rosewood Lady Eagles.

Union has been dominant in the conference with the No. 1 and No. 2 teams being their only losses this season. First on the docket are the Rosewood Eagles on Monday where they will be looking to derail them and snag a win, which would put them in good position to climb over the Eagles and take the No. 2 spot for themselves. In their last encounter, Rosewood shut down the Spartans 11-5.

North Duplin will be their final opponent of the week and Union is looking to spoil their perfect conference record as they climb up the Carolina 1A standings. The last time these two faced off, the Lady Rebels humbled the Spartans 13-3, leaving a bad taste in Union’s mouth. The Lady Spartans have the firepower and skill to take the No. 1 spot and snatch the title, but time is running out.

The stakes are high this week and Blake Travers and his Spartans will need to iron out any deficiencies they have if they hope to win the conference.