Avon hasn't had much luck against Center Grove recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Orioles will be playing in front of their home fans against the Trojans at 6:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
On Thursday, Avon made easy work of McCutcheon and carried off a 12-2 win. The Orioles haven't had any issues with the Mavericks recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Brinley Pope was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned runs off seven hits. What's more, she posted two strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season.
In other batting news, Avon got a big performance out of Lylah DeArmond, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. That triple was DeArmond's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Olivia Yeary, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Avon always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Center Grove faced Noblesville in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Trojans were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over the Millers. Considering the Trojans have won five contests by more than eight runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Sarah Riley and Brooke Carlson dominated on the mound. Riley pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit, while Carlson tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Riley has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Ana Powell was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Addison Richards was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI.
Center Grove's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Avon, their win bumped their record up to 5-13.
Avon couldn't quite finish off Center Grove in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 3-1. Will the Orioles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
