Ironton is 8-2 against Dawson-Bryant since May of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Fighting Tigers will challenge the Hornets at 5:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Ironton 3.7, Dawson-Bryant 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, Ironton was able to grind out a solid victory over Gallia Academy, taking the game 6-2. The Fighting Tigers haven't had any issues with the Blue Devils recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Ava Bihl
| 04/30/25 vs Gallia Academy | 10 |
| 04/29/25 vs Rock Hill | 9 |
| 04/24/25 vs West Deptford | 11 |
| 04/23/25 vs New Hartford | 12 |
| 04/22/25 vs James Monroe | 5 |
| + 8 more games |
Ava Bihl made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
In other batting news, Ironton got a massive performance out of Aubrey Ferguson, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That's the most hits Ferguson has posted since back in April. Khamil Martin was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Ironton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .469. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Gallia Academy only posted a batting average of .115.
Meanwhile, Dawson-Bryant had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.6 runs) and they went ahead and made it nine on Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Panthers a 12-0 shutout. The Hornets might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Dawson-Bryant let Izzy Kitts and Kendall Taylor run wild. Kitts went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI, while Taylor went 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
Dawson-Bryant's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-3. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Ironton, their record now sits at 17-4.
Ironton's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. The Fighting Tigers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Dawson-Bryant, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Ironton continue to outrun the ball?
Ironton suffered a grim 11-4 defeat to Dawson-Bryant in their previous meeting back in April. Can the Fighting Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
