Kouts has won four straight games at home, while Culver Academies has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Mustangs & Fillies will host the Eagles at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Monday, Kouts got the win against Westville by a conclusive 13-3. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs & Fillies in their matchups with the Blackhawks: they've now won five in a row.
Landon Garrett was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over four innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Ben Finney
| 04/28/25 vs Westville | 3 |
| 04/24/25 vs River Forest | 2 |
| 04/22/25 @ Jimtown | 2 |
| 04/14/25 @ Michigan City | 2 |
| 04/17/25 vs Wheeler | 1 |
In other batting news, Ben Finney was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those three stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Eli Harper was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Kouts was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .542. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Westville only posted a batting average of .211.
Meanwhile, Culver Academies was not the first on the board on Wednesday, but they got there more often. They put the hurt on Knox with a sharp 10-2 win.
Like Kouts, Culver Academies also got a great game from a two-way player: Foster Stockton. On the mound, Stockton pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. Meanwhile, Max Grundberg tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. At bat, Stockton went 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI, while Grundberg went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Preston Jessen, who went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Trey Schumacher, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Culver Academies' victory bumped their record up to 9-1. As for Kouts, their win bumped their record up to 10-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Kouts has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Culver Academies struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Kouts took their victory against Culver Academies in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 9-2 score. Will the Mustangs & Fillies repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
