The McLean County Cougars will head out to face off against the Caldwell County Tigers at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
McLean County barely beat Ohio County the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cougars were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Eagles on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Cougars in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won six in a row.
Jaelin Groves
| 05/01/26 @ Ohio County | 4 |
| 04/10/26 @ Lloyd Memorial | 3 |
| 04/25/26 vs Christian County | 2 |
| 04/24/26 vs Todd County Central | 2 |
| 04/09/26 @ Dayton | 2 |
The team relied heavily on Jaelin Groves, who went 2-for-5 with four RBI, one run, and one double. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Will Gatton, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Caldwell County got themselves on the board against Lyon County on Friday, but Lyon County never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Lyons with a sharp 6-0 win.
Ari Wells made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 17 over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Wells wasn't the only one making solid contact as seven players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Mitchell Phelps, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
McLean County's record now sits at 21-7. As for Caldwell County, their record is now 16-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. McLean County has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Caldwell County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
McLean County skirted past Caldwell County 6-4 in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
