Highland has gone a perfect 10-0 against South Shelby recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Cougars will square off against the Cardinals at 5:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Highland has six straight victories, South Shelby has seven straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Monday, Highland got the win against Putnam County by a conclusive 9-3. The Cougars might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten games by six runs or more this season.
Abby Lay
| 10/06/25 vs Putnam County | 16 |
| 09/22/25 @ Canton | 6 |
| 09/18/25 @ Kirksville | 8 |
| 09/16/25 vs Canton | 5 |
| 09/15/25 @ Louisiana | 9 |
| + 2 more games |
Abby Lay spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on one hit and racked up 16 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Hannah Ritterbusch, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Addy Abell was another key player, earning two RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
Louisiana hit South Shelby with a four-run fourth inning on Monday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Cardinals lost 10-4 to the Bulldogs.
South Shelby also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kylie Million gave up three earned (and seven unearned) runs on six hits.
At the plate, Bella Cook made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Those runs were her first of the season.
South Shelby's defeat dropped their record down to 1-12. As for Highland, their win bumped their record up to 11-3.
Highland's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Cougars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for South Shelby, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Highland continue to outrun the ball?
Highland took their victory against South Shelby when the teams last played back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cougars since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
