The North Putnam Cougars will take on the South Putnam Eagles in a tournament on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
South Putnam will be up against a hot North Putnam team: the squad just extended their winning streak to five. The Cougars put the hurt on Riverton Parke with a sharp 11-4 win on Thursday. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 13, 2021, but that streak is no more.
The team relied heavily on Braelynn Buescher, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Hailee Daigle was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: North Putnam 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 11 hits in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, South Putnam won against West Vigo on Wednesday with 12 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Thursday. The Eagles never let Parke Heritage get on the board and left with a 12-0 victory. The Eagles have beaten the Wolves the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Wolves has come to flipping the script.
Kenzi McDaniel made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two runs.
In other batting news, Elliana Cox was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Joslyn Bumgardner also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen bases of the season.
North Putnam's record now sits at 14-4. As for South Putnam, their record is now 8-6.
North Putnam's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's matchup. The Cougars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for South Putnam, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will North Putnam continue to outrun the ball?
North Putnam couldn't quite finish off South Putnam in their previous meeting back in May of 2025 and fell 2-0. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
