The Izard County Cougars will head out on the road to challenge the Sloan-Hendrix Greyhounds at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Izard County is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.4 runs per game this season.
On Monday, Izard County earned a 12-8 victory over Tuckerman. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cougars.
Xander McCandlis made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-4.
Portor Burton
| 03/31/25 @ Tuckerman | 3 |
| 03/27/25 @ Norfork | 1 |
| 03/27/25 vs Heber Springs | 2 |
| 03/21/25 vs Salem | 2 |
In other batting news, Braxton Mccandlis and Portor Burton did most of the damage at the plate: Mccandlis scored a run and stole three bases while going 3-for-4, while Burton scored a run and stole three bases while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances. Burton is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Kade Yancey, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Sloan-Hendrix gave up the first runs on Monday, but they didn't let that get them down. They put the hurt on Marshall with a sharp 13-2 win. The Greyhounds might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matches by six runs or more this season.
Like Izard County, Sloan-Hendrix also got a great game from a two-way player: Corey Sullens. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. What's more, Sullens gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Stetson Wall, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March of 2024. Braxton Wall was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Izard County's record is now 6-2. As for Sloan-Hendrix, their record now sits at 7-4.
Izard County skirted past Sloan-Hendrix 6-5 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Izard County since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
