Estill County is a perfect 10-0 against Berea since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Engineers will take on the Pirates in a tournament on Thursday. Estill County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Estill County needed a bit of extra time to put away Montgomery County. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Indians 7-6. The win was nothing new for the Engineers as they're now sitting on three straight.
Bryce Drake
| 05/06/25 vs Montgomery County | 3 |
| 05/02/25 vs Berea | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Powell County | 2 |
| 03/27/25 @ Montgomery County | 2 |
| 03/17/25 @ George Rogers Clark | 2 |
Bryce Drake made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He tossed 4.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Hayden Woolery was excellent, going 2-for-5 with one triple and two RBI. That triple was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Logan Friend, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Berea owes their pitching crew a big pat on the back after their performance on Tuesday. They blew past Somerset Christian 9-0. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five matches by nine runs or more this season.
Like Estill County, Berea also got a great game from a two-way player: Blake King. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits over five innings pitched. King also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Berea is undefeated when he allows at most two earned runs, but 5-6 otherwise. King was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nathan Prophitt, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. Berea is 4-1 when Prophitt posts three or more RBI, but 4-5 otherwise. Ethan Slone was another key player, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Estill County pushed their record up to 12-8 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Berea, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-6 record this season.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Estill County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Berea struggles in that department as they've averaged .458. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Estill County was able to grind out a solid victory over Berea in their previous meeting on Friday, winning 4-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Engineers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
