The White County Central Bears will venture away from home to face off against the Newport Greyhounds at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
On Monday, White County Central came up short against Bradford and fell 6-2. The Bears have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Hannah Blagg put in work while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off nine hits. What's more, she gave up only two walks, the fewest she's had since back in March. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Blagg wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Harlee Neal, who went 1-for-3 with one run.
Meanwhile, Newport fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Manila on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 13-8 to the Lions. The Greyhounds' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it six in a row.
Like White County Central, Newport also got a great game from a two-way player: Lexi Hembrey. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over eight innings while giving up four earned (and nine unearned) runs off 12 hits. Hembrey has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple and one run. That triple was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Carlene Ford was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That double marked the first that she has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Madison Steward, who went 2-for-4 with one triple and two RBI.
White County Central's record is now 5-9. As for Newport, their record now sits at 1-12.
Newport's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: White County Central hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. It's a different story for Newport, though, as they've only averaged .240. Will they be able to contain White County Central's hitters?
White County Central took their victory against Newport in their previous meeting last Monday by a conclusive 8-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bears since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
