The Newton Falls Tigers will square off against the Badger Braves at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Newton Falls will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, Newton Falls was able to grind out a solid victory over Brookfield, taking the game 7-4.
Zayne Shelton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up eight Ks. He is becoming a predictor of Newton Falls' success: when he allows at most one earned run the team is 3-1 (and 3-6 when he doesn't).
LeLand Vargo
| 04/28/26 vs Brookfield | 2 |
| 04/27/26 @ Brookfield | 1 |
| 04/08/26 vs Doddridge County | 1 |
| 05/19/25 @ Crestview | 1 |
| 05/01/25 @ Heartland Christian | 1 |
On the hitting side, LeLand Vargo was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, two runs, and two doubles. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Wyatt Wheeler, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.
Newton Falls hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Badger got themselves on the board against Chalker on Tuesday, but Chalker never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Wildcats with a sharp 13-0 win. With that victory, the Braves brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Tyler McWilliams made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run. Those doubles marked the first that he has hit this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lewis Flowers, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. Jack Harnett was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Badger's win bumped their record up to 8-3. As for Newton Falls, their victory bumped their record up to 6-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Newton Falls has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Badger struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
