The Indian Creek Braves are taking a road trip to face off against the South Putnam Eagles at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Indian Creek had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Cloverdale on Monday. The Braves blew past the Clovers 11-1. The result was nothing new for the Braves, who have now won three games by ten runs or more so far this season.
Kristen Soots made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up just one earned run but no hits. What's more, she posted four strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. She was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.
In other pitching news, Lexi Smith looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
Back at the plate, Jasmine Day was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Addie Schaub, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Indian Creek kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, South Putnam entered their tilt with Cloverdale on Thursday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They put the hurt on the Clovers with a sharp 12-6 win. Considering the Eagles have won five contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Taylor Boyce was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Joslyn Bumgardner, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Elliana Cox was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
Indian Creek is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for South Putnam, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-1.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Indian Creek has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like South Putnam struggles in that department as they've averaged .516. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Indian Creek was able to grind out a solid victory over South Putnam in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, winning 4-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
