Houston County is 0-5 against Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central since May of 2022 but things could change on Tuesday. The Fighting Irish will host the Tigers at 5:00 p.m. Houston County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.7 runs per game this season.
Houston County came out on top against McKenzie last Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run second inning. The Fighting Irish walked away with an 8-3 win over the Rebels. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Fighting Irish.
Brilee Anderson made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits. Anderson was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
In other batting news, Ally Mitchell and Preslee Moore did most of the damage at the plate: Mitchell went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Moore went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That home run marked the first that Mitchell has launched this season. Addie Horn was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one home run.
Meanwhile, Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Monday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Rebels an 11-0 shutout. Considering the Tigers have won nine matches by more than six runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Houston County, Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Madison Holder. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Holder has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Keely Williams was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was McKinley Garrison, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .630. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as McKenzie only posted an OBP of .211.
The victory got Houston County back to even at 5-5. As for Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central, they pushed their record up to 19-3 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Houston County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central 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.
Houston County suffered a grim 12-0 defeat to Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Will the Fighting Irish have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
