Switzerland County hasn't had much luck against Providence recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Pacers will challenge the Pioneers at 11:00 a.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Switzerland County is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. Everything went their way against Austin as they made off with a 19-1 win. The game was the first time the Pacers have beaten the Eagles on their field since May 24, 2018.
Zayne Smith made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Cooper Todd
| 06/02/25 vs Austin | 3 |
| 05/05/25 @ Shawe Memorial | 2 |
| 04/26/25 vs Shawe Memorial | 2 |
| 04/06/24 vs Christian Academy | 2 |
| 05/23/25 @ South Dearborn | 1 |
In other batting news, Cooper Todd was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Roman Hite, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with three runs and three RBI.
Switzerland County always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .643. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Providence put their dominant pitcher on display in the team's third consecutive shutout on Monday. They never let Paoli get on the board and left with a 7-0 victory. The Pioneers haven't had any issues with the Rams recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Like Switzerland County, Providence also got a great game from a two-way player: Blake Straub. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Straub was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Cole Huett was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Gavin Jackson was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
The victory made it two in a row for Switzerland County and bumps their season record up to 14-12. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Providence, their record is now 15-6.
Switzerland County suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Providence when the teams last played back in May of 2018. Can the Pacers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
