Brown County is preparing for their first conference matchup of the season on Tuesday. They will be playing in front of their home fans against the North Putnam Cougars at 6:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Brown County's win against Switzerland County wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Eagles narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Pacers 4-3.
Ava Sanders made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, Hailee Darnell was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Grace Johnson was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one triple and one run.
Meanwhile, North Putnam strolled into their game on Monday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They blew past Speedway 11-5.
Bailey Pride was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-5. The team also got some help courtesy of Hailey Strother, who scored two runs while going 3-for-5.
North Putnam hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Speedway struck out ten times.
Brown County's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-1. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.33 runs across that stretch. As for North Putnam, their victory bumped their record up to 3-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Brown County has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Putnam struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 11 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Brown County beat North Putnam 7-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cougars turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
