The Lapel Bulldogs will challenge the Hamilton Southeastern Royals at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Lapel has ten straight victories, Hamilton Southeastern has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Wednesday, Lapel made easy work of Eastern Hancock and carried off a 12-1 win. Considering the Bulldogs have won seven matches by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Hogan Bair
| 04/23/25 @ Eastern Hancock | 1 |
| 04/16/25 vs Anderson Prep Academy | 0 |
| 04/12/25 vs Speedway | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ Greenfield-Central | 1 |
Hogan Bair was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, earning one RBI, one run, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Lapel let Darl Gustin and Eli Suchocki run wild. Gustin went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base, while Suchocki went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Ray Smith, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI and one double.
Lapel was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .519. The last time their batting average was this high was back in May of 2024.
The home team had come away the winner the last six times Hamilton Southeastern and Avon had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Royals fell just short of the Orioles by a score of 10-9 on Thursday. Royals fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Orioles since on Thursday.
Hamilton Southeastern also got a good showing from Josh Lesniewksi, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. What's more, Lesniewksi gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had over his last four games.
On the hitting side, Trey McManama made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. He also scored a run, marking his first of the season. Clark Bucher was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Lapel pushed their record up to 10-0 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season. As for Hamilton Southeastern, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-10.
Hamilton Southeastern's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Lapel hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .396. It's a different story for Hamilton Southeastern, though, as they've only averaged .228. Will they be able to contain Lapel's hitters?
Lapel couldn't quite finish off Hamilton Southeastern when the teams last played back in April of 2024 and fell 5-3. Will the Bulldogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
