Baseball Game Preview: Grant County Braves vs. Ludlow Panthers

The Grant County Braves will face off against the Ludlow Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Grant County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.

Grant County's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Wednesday's struggle, when Carroll County hitters got past them. The Braves lost 13-3 to the Panthers on Wednesday.

Braiden Beach

Runs

05/12/25 vs Williamstown	3
04/21/25 vs Bracken County	3
05/14/25 @ Carroll County	2
04/09/25 @ Dayton	2
03/18/25 vs Carroll County	2
+ 8 more games

Grant County saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Braiden Beach, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one double. Beach is becoming a predictor of the Braves' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 4-1 (and 11-13 when he doesn't).

Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Ludlow ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Heritage Academy, sneaking past 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since April 9, 2024.

Grant County dropped their record down to 15-14 with the loss, which was their fourth straight on the road. As for Ludlow, their victory bumped their record up to 10-15.

Ludlow's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Grant County hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .323. It's a different story for Ludlow, though, as they've only averaged .214. Will they be able to contain Grant County's hitters?

Grant County beat Ludlow 8-3 when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Do the Braves have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Panthers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.