The Tri-County Penguins will head out on the road to challenge the Almond-Bancroft Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Tri-County has given up an average of 8.6 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Tri-County couldn't beat Wild Rose on Thursday even though they stacked four runs on them in the fifth inning. The Penguins lost 15-4 to the Wildcats. The defeat continues a trend for the Penguins in their meetings with the Wildcats: they've now lost seven in a row.
Tri-County saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Makenna Rettler, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Addyson Rettler also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Almond-Bancroft had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Monday. They never let the Warhawks get on the board and left with a 5-0 win.
Not much got past Riya Ceballos, who gave up just a hit and racked up ten Ks to keep Weyauwega-Fremont off the board. Ceballos has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Mya Dernbach was excellent, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Sophia Chapa was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Almond-Bancroft hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Weyauwega-Fremont struck out ten times.
Tri-County's loss was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 3-2. As for Almond-Bancroft, their record now sits at 9-2.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Tri-County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .537. However, it's not like Almond-Bancroft struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tri-County might still be hurting after the 18-1 defeat they got from Almond-Bancroft in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Penguins avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
