The Harlan Green Dragons will square off against the Leslie County Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The timing is sure in Harlan's favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while Leslie County has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road.
Harlan came out on top against Harlan County on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run third inning. The Green Dragons walked away with an 8-3 win over the Black Bears. The victory continues a trend for the Green Dragons in their matchups with the Black Bears: they've now won five in a row.
Eli Freyer was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Jake Brewer, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Harlan kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Leslie County had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They were the clear victors by a 14-7 margin over Lee County on Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Eagles needed considering they were shut out in their previous matchup.
Connor Russell looked comfortable as he tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because Leslie County is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 3-17 otherwise.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Rylan Simpson, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024. Peyton Fouts was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Leslie County's win bumped their record up to 5-18. As for Harlan, their victory bumped their record up to 11-7.
Harlan skirted past Leslie County 18-16 in their previous meeting back in March. Will the Green Dragons repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
