The Connersville Spartans will face off against the Knightstown Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Connersville is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
Connersville had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 15-run drubbing they dealt Hauser last Wednesday. The Spartans' pitchers stepped up to hand the Jets a 15-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Spartans, who have now won six matches by 11 runs or more so far this season.
Avery Dungan
| 04/23/25 @ Hauser | 2 |
| 04/17/25 vs Richmond | 1 |
| 04/13/24 vs South Dearborn | 1 |
| 04/09/24 vs Rushville | 1 |
Avery Dungan and Taylynn Selby made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Dungan pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Selby pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Dungan went 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI, while Selby went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run. Those two runs gave Dungan a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bre Brock, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Carmen Ruble, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
Connersville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .564. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hauser only posted an OBP of .278.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Knightstown, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They came out on top against South Decatur by a score of 5-1 on Wednesday. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Cougars: they've now won nine in a row.
Knightstown let Paysen Hauk and Dylan Fausnaugh run wild. Hauk went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one double, while Fausnaugh went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Connersville's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-6. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Knightstown, the win got them back to even at 6-6.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Connersville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .420. However, it's not like Knightstown struggles in that department as they've averaged .375. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Connersville's way against Knightstown in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Connersville made off with an 11-2 victory. Will the Spartans repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
