The Big Sky Eagles are taking a road trip to square off against the Sentinel Spartans at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Big Sky's pitching crew has only allowed 2.7 runs per game this season, so Sentinel's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Big Sky is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Montana's top teams: Helena, who was ranked sixth at the time (Big Sky was ranked eighth). The Eagles walked away with a 4-1 win over the Bengals on Saturday. The four-run effort marked the Eagles' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Briella Wilson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Sadie McGuinn, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, Sentinel hadn't done well against Glacier recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Spartans sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 victory over the Wolfpack. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since April 30, 2024.
Piper Whitman was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up just one earned (and six unearned) runs off six hits. Whitman was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4. She also put up two doubles, which were her first of the season.
In other batting news, Sydney Goldbar was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
Sentinel has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Big Sky, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 6-1.
Big Sky's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's game. The Eagles have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Sentinel, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Big Sky continue to outrun the ball?
Big Sky came out on top in a nail-biter against Sentinel in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, sneaking past 21-19. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do the Spartans have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
