The Bethlehem Eagles/Banshees will take on the Marion County Knights at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Bethlehem didn't have quite enough to beat Nelson County and fell 2-1. The Eagles/Banshees have struggled against the Cardinals recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Tuesday as neither Marion County nor Adair County made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Knights walked away with a 6-3 victory over the Indians.
Gracyn Mattingly spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Tori Gribbins was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Kendra Gaddie, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Marion County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in four consecutive matchups.
Marion County's win bumped their record up to 10-6. As for Bethlehem, their loss dropped their record down to 21-15.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Bethlehem has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. However, it's not like Marion County struggles in that department as they've averaged .436. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bethlehem beat Marion County 6-3 when the teams last played back in March of 2022. Will the Eagles/Banshees repeat their success, or do the Knights have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
