Preview: Taylor County Bulldogs vs. Dixie County Bears
Taylor County is 3-0 against Dixie County since February of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Taylor County Bulldogs will head out on the road to take on the Dixie County Bears at 7:00 p.m. Taylor County is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Last Friday, Taylor County earned a 6-1 victory over Trenton. The win made it back-to-back victories for Taylor County.
Ethan Tuten spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just zero earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 15 Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Jaret Fuller was solid, scoring a run while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Dixie County only won by two when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 14-point they dealt Bronson on Monday. Dixie County put the hurt on Bronson with a sharp 14-0 win. That 14 run margin sets a new team best for Dixie County this season.
Luke NesSmith and Andrew Pleasant were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, NesSmith tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (he also only allowed one walk). Meanwhile, Pleasant struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. At the plate, NesSmith scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-2, while Pleasant scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
In other batting news, Dixie County got a massive performance out of Joel Lord, who went 1-for-3 with a home run, three additional RBI, and two additional runs. Another player making a difference was Braxton Bernier, who went 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs, and an RBI.
Taylor County is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games, which provided a massive bump to their 4-5 record this season. As for Dixie County, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Taylor County has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Dixie County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts per game. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Taylor County came out on top in a nail-biter against Dixie County when the teams last played back in March of 2021, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Taylor County since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
