Clyde hasn't had much luck against Jim Ned recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bulldogs will challenge the Indians at 7:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Clyde 4, Jim Ned 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Clyde's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Tuesday's struggle, when Wall hitters got past them. The Bulldogs lost 13-2 to the Hawks on Tuesday. The Bulldogs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Clyde saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ethan Guzman, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Jim Ned entered their tilt with Merkel on Tuesday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Badgers. Give the Indians' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's fourth straight shutout.
Tucker Deal made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base.
In other batting news, Jake Watson was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run. That's the most doubles he has posted since back in February. Colby Clinkscales was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Jim Ned always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Merkel only posted an OBP of .333.
Jim Ned pushed their record up to 17-3 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Clyde, their loss dropped their record down to 12-5-1.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Clyde has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .526. However, it's not like Jim Ned struggles in that department as they've averaged .556. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Clyde came up short against Jim Ned in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 11-6. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
