Northwestern has gone 8-2 against Eastern recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Tigers will hit the road for the first time this season to take on the Comets at 5:30 p.m. Northwestern will be strutting in after a win while Eastern will be coming in after a loss.
Northwestern took a 11-run defeat the last time they faced off against Carroll, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Tigers narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Cougars 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Tigers have posted against the Cougars since April 17, 2015.
Bailey Marcus and Stevie-Rae Hedges were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Marcus pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Meanwhile, Hedges struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits (and only one walk). At bat, Marcus went 2-for-3 with one home run, while Hedges went 1-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Leah Turffs
| 04/14/25 vs Carroll | 3 |
| 05/17/24 @ Elwood | 2 |
| 04/30/24 vs Tipton | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Eastbrook | 1 |
| 05/09/24 @ Logansport | 1 |
They weren't the only ones making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Leah Turffs, who scored a run while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave her a new career-high.
Northwestern hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Carroll struck out ten times.
Meanwhile, Eastern was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their seventh straight loss dating back to last season. They lost 28-5 to Madison-Grant.
Mackenzea Causey was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. Those RBI marked the first that she brought in this season.
Eastern's defeat dropped their record down to 0-6. As for Northwestern, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
Eastern's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Northwestern has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Eastern, though, as they've been averaging 13.5 hits. Given Northwestern's sizable advantage in that area, the Comets will need to find a way to close that gap.
Northwestern came out on top in a nail-biter against Eastern in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
