The Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] Cougars will venture away from home to face off against the Hazen Bison at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Heart River co-op [Belfield/South Heart] hit Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] with a seven-run fifth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] fell just short of Heart River co-op [Belfield/South Heart] by a score of 10-9. Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Daphne Lauer made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those hits marked the first that she has got this season. Brooklyn Tomlinson was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Hazen came out on top against Garrison on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive 14-run third inning. The Bison put the hurt on the Troopers with a sharp 15-2 win. The Bison have beaten the Troopers the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Troopers has come to flipping the script.
Ava Jungers was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Jungers was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and one double.
In other batting news, Alissa Johnson was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Elliot Myklebust, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Hazen's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-5 and their overall record up to 2-8. As for Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky], their defeat dropped their record down to 3-5.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .519. However, it's not like Hazen struggles in that department as they've averaged .500. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky]'s way against Hazen when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as Central McLean [Turtle Lake-Mercer/Underwood/McClusky] made off with a 26-3 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cougars since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
