The Bethlehem Eagles/Banshees will challenge the Elizabethtown Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The last four games Bethlehem has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Bethlehem's victory against Green County wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Eagles/Banshees won by a run and slipped past the Dragons 3-2. That's two games straight that the Eagles/Banshees have won by just one run.
Emmalee Hettinger spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on six hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Bethlehem saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Cam Mitchell, who went 2-for-4 with one double.
Meanwhile, Elizabethtown came tearing into Monday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Cougars a 10-0 shutout. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by six runs or more this season.
The team relied heavily on Alyssa Philpot, who fired off two home runs and five RBI while going 2-for-3. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Karlee Adkisson, who got on base in two of her four plate appearances with two runs.
Elizabethtown always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .559. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Holy Cross only posted an OBP of .059.
Bethlehem has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 23-15 record this season. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.33 runs across that stretch. As for Elizabethtown, their win bumped their record up to 15-8.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Bethlehem hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .362. However, it's not like Elizabethtown struggles in that department as they've averaged .335. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Bethlehem might still be hurting after the 8-0 loss they got from Elizabethtown in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Will the Eagles/Banshees have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
