Softball Preview: Leonard Lancers vs. Palm Beach Central Broncos
Leonard is 0-10 against Palm Beach Central since March of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Leonard Lancers will head out on the road to face off against the Palm Beach Central Broncos at 6:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Even though Leonard couldn't quite topple Santaluces on Wednesday, it was still a huge improvement compared to the 11-point loss they took when the two last played. Leonard was the clear victor by a 15-5 margin over Santaluces. The win was just what Leonard needed coming off of a 21-0 defeat in their prior contest.
Yanina Varela made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Varela was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Angelixa Stephenson was a standout: she scored three runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Arianna Sheerer was another key contributor, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and a triple.
Meanwhile, Palm Beach Central came into Wednesday's game having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They never let Royal Palm Beach onto the board and left with a 17-0 victory on Wednesday. That 17 run margin sets a new team best for Palm Beach Central this season.
Like Leonard, Palm Beach Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Kylah Hill. On the mound, Hill pitched an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (she also didn't allow any walks). Meanwhile, Addison McFadden tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (she also only allowed one walk). At bat, Hill scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances, while McFadden scored three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jaiden Harris, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with four RBI and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Annabella Hamilton, who scored a run while going 2-for-2.
Leonard's win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 2-8. As for Palm Beach Central, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-6.
Leonard suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Palm Beach Central in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can Leonard avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
