vs
| 05/27/24 - Neutral | 11-6 W |
| 05/10/24 - Away | 10-4 W |
| 05/29/23 - Neutral | 4-1 W |
| 05/09/23 - Home | 11-1 W |
| 05/19/22 - Home | 5-1 W |
| + 2 more games |
Center Grove is a perfect 7-0 against Bloomington South since June of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Trojans will head out on the road to take on the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Center Grove is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Center Grove is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Indiana's top teams: Brownsburg, who was ranked 25th at the time (Center Grove was ranked fourth). The Trojans fell just short of the Bulldogs by a score of 4-3 on Monday. It was the first time this season that the Trojans let down their fans at home.
Kellen Thomson was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he pitched eight innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits. What's more, he gave up only one walk, the fewest he's had since back in May of 2024.
At the plate, Drake McClurg and Andrew Krupa did some serious damage despite the final result: McClurg got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI, while Krupa went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases. Another player making a difference was Grady Grant, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Bloomington South unfortunately witnessed the end of their ten-game winning streak on Saturday. They took a 12-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of Harrison. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Panthers, who until this contest were averaging 3.53 runs allowed.
Sam Giles and Luke Arnett stepped up to the plate in a big way. Giles went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and three runs, while Arnett went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double. Giles is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
This is the second loss in a row for Center Grove and nudges their season record down to 17-4. As for Bloomington South, their loss dropped their record down to 11-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Center Grove has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bloomington South struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Center Grove was able to grind out a solid win over Bloomington South when the teams last played back in May of 2024, winning 11-6. Will the Trojans repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
