The Eminence Warriors will venture away from home to take on the Western Hills Wolverines at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Eminence is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
While Eminence's win against Gallatin County wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Warriors sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 victory over the Wildcats on Thursday.
Tanner Simpson
| 04/17/25 @ Gallatin County | 9 |
| 03/25/25 vs Owen County | 8 |
| 03/18/25 vs Oldham County | 7 |
| 04/02/25 @ Walton-Verona | 4 |
| 03/31/25 @ Williamstown | 2 |
Tanner Simpson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaleb Simpson, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Kendrick Cassity also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen bases of the season.
Meanwhile, Western Hills hadn't done well against Franklin County recently (they were 1-7-1 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Wolverines came out on top against the Flyers by a score of 9-4. While the Wolverines didn't have the best season last year (they finished 12-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Like Eminence, Western Hills also got a great game from a two-way player: Cole Semones. He struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). Semones was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one run.
In other batting news, Noah Morris was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Asher Gatewood was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Western Hills' win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Eminence, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Eminence has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Western Hills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Eminence might still be hurting after the 13-0 loss they got from Western Hills when the teams last played back in March. Can the Warriors avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
