For the first time this season, Countryside will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will head out to square off against the Clearwater Tornadoes at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Clearwater took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Countryside, who comes in off a win.
Countryside made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Largo, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Cougars blew past the Packers 12-2 on Tuesday. The Cougars' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Cody Hollenbeck made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched six innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Luke Neubauer, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Luke Tregillus, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Countryside always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .525. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, Clearwater was a bit more limited in their matchup on Wednesday. They lost 6-0 to East Lake. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Tornadoes have suffered since April 11, 2024.
Countryside is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Clearwater, their loss dropped their record down to 11-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Countryside has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Clearwater struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Countryside took their victory against Clearwater in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 6-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cougars since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
