The Tipton Blue Devils will square off against the Northwestern Tigers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Tipton fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Elwood on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 14-11 to the Panthers. Even though they lost, the Blue Devils' still made a splash at the plate and bumped their average scoring up to 6.1 runs per game (they're now ranked -1th in scoring overall).
Ella Lobeck put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over eight innings while giving up just two earned (and 12 unearned) runs off 13 hits. Lobeck was also big at the plate, going 2-for-6 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Anya Cline was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-5 with one home run and two RBI. Makenna Comer was another key player, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Northwestern). They blew past Manchester 16-7 on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won six matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Tipton, Northwestern also got a great game from a two-way player: Stevie-Rae Hedges. She struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Hedges has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her six plate appearances with one home run and three runs. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Avery Madden, who went 4-for-5 with three runs, three doubles, and four RBI. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Grace Fischer, who went 2-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
Northwestern kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 6-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Northwestern's win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-7. As for Tipton, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost eight of their last ten games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-10 record this season.
Tipton might still be hurting after the 13-0 loss they got from Northwestern in their previous meeting back in May of 2025. Will the Blue Devils have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
