The Liberty Eagles will challenge the Rushville-Industry Rockets at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Liberty will be strutting in after a victory while Rushville-Industry will be coming in after a loss.
Liberty came out on top against Hamilton/Warsaw on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run sixth inning. The Eagles put the hurt on the Titans with a sharp 12-2 win. Considering the Eagles have won nine matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Jackson Sims spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits and racked up nine Ks. He has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
Jack Sparrow
| 05/15/25 @ Hamilton/Warsaw | 4 |
| 05/06/24 vs Augusta Southeastern | 3 |
| 05/01/24 vs Griggsville-Perry | 3 |
| 04/13/24 vs PORTA/Ashland-Chandlerville Central | 3 |
| 05/13/25 vs Pittsfield | 2 |
On the hitting side, Jack Sparrow was a standout: he got on base in all five of his plate appearances with four runs and two RBI. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. Reed Sparrow was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double.
Liberty kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Rushville-Industry came up short against Brown County on Friday and fell 17-13. The defeat continues a trend for the Rockets in their meetings with the Hornets: they've now lost five in a row.
Jackson Spencer stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: he went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Rylan Reimolds, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs and one double.
Liberty has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 14-10 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Rushville-Industry, they now have a losing record of 10-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Liberty has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Rushville-Industry struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Liberty couldn't quite finish off Rushville-Industry in their previous meeting back in April and fell 2-0. Can the Eagles avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
